Just Let Us Be Us Again
by Obsessed01
Summary: The heat of summer has passed and senior year is upon them. Seth and Summer struggle to find out what they mean to each other. Major SS
1. Velocity Vectors

**A/N: Alright so technically, only 1 and a half people asked for more but I couldn't resist. I'm horrible at updating and everything but I'm really gonna try here. Plus, I'm, like, super excited about this story! I'm hoping to go all the way to the end of senior year. **

**P.S. Don't expect Ryan and Marissa to reunite. Sorry, but I just can't see it happening this season. **

**P.P.S. I'm probably not going to be following a lot of the stuff going on with the other characters, like everything with Caleb and Kirsten possibly getting arrested. That stuff would be too overwhelming for me to try and write so this story is majorly based on Seth and Summer and them trying to decide what they are to each other. I will however do my best to add the four new characters (Zach, obviously, is already in there, Lindsay, Alex, and D.J. this link ?album42&pos12**** should lead to them!) The only challenge I'm facing is the fact that it's really hard to write characters that you don't know. None of us are really sure how they act or what kind of person they are but I'm doing my best!**

**P.P.P.S. The story I just posted (Falling Down the Rabbit Hole) is gonna be put on hold for a while because I really wanna concentrate on this one. It didn't really get a lot of reviews anyway so I don't think anyone should be too disappointed. **

**I changed Braden's name to Zach because that is what it will be in the show. **

"Hello?" A groggy Summer picked up her cell phone that was quietly buzzing in the palm of her hand. Since the day Seth left, she had grown accustomed to sleeping with her cell on vibrate in her hand. She had been waiting for him to call, though she wasn't even sure she would talk to him if he did. Of course he didn't call when he was gone. Now he called. All the frickin' time. Yet she still slept with her phone in hand. Old habits die hard, I guess.

"Hi." Seth's voice was wide-awake on the other end of the phone.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Right now talking to you."

"Obviously."

"I can't sleep." Summer swore that half the time he talked just to talk.

"Yes, well I can. Goodnight."

"Summer, wait!"

"Cohen, it's 2:30 in the effing morning. We have school tomorrow. If you can't sleep then drink some warm milk or read a comic book or whatever. But I'm not gonna sit here and talk to you just so can fall asleep."

"Okay, but I just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you." Seth's voice was so sincere that she couldn't help but get a little giddy.

"I know." She was smiling and he could tell but she didn't really care.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Summer shut her phone and left it in her palm as she snuggled back under the covers.

This wasn't the first time Seth had called her in the middle of the night to tell her something completely random and pointless yet oh-so-sweet at the same time. Since that night on the pier, they had an understanding. They cared for each other still, though she had a much harder time admitting it. He was doing everything he could to win her back and although she was still pissed as hell, she couldn't shut him out.

They were friends now, sort of. It took a good few months for them to get to this point but they were here. They talked a lot; actually he did a lot of the talking, but she listened. And their conversations had only turned angry a few times. Then they would end up in a heated screaming match until one or the other stalked off. Then one of them would call up the other one and apologize. Consequently, Summer usually ended up stalking off and Seth usually ended up apologizing. It worked though.

They had the same lunch period, 6A, so they ate together everyday. She didn't mind this arrangement. The only person who ever seemed to have a problem with it was Zach. He thought it was weird that Summer was hanging out with her ex-boyfriend but she was quick to explain that they were just friends now.

And she really did like Zach. He was a nice kid, captain of the water polo team, son of a congressman, someone her father would approve of. But she still felt for Seth. She wouldn't say it out loud, obviously. If she admitted it, it would just give him everything he needed to make her knees go numb and watch her fall into his arms. And that's why she still got a little giddy when he said those pointless, sweet things.

* * *

"Hey." Summer picked up her phone as she pulled her skirt up onto her hips. 

"Good morning, beautiful." Summer blushed naturally. "What are you up to?"

"I'm getting dressed. You?"

"On my way down the stairs to eat breakfast." It never ceased to amaze Summer how random a spot Seth could pick to call her from. She was honestly surprised that he hadn't yet called her while he was taking a pee.

"Hang on." Summer pulled the phone away from her ear long enough to pull on her polo. "Alright. Are you gonna be home after school today? Ryan and Lindsay are supposed help me out with some of that stuff in physics. I'm totally not getting any of it."

"No, I won't be here. I gotta work."

Summer snickered. "I still cannot believe you got a job, not to mention you're cleaning toilets. I mean ew."

"Hey, it pays. And since I'm grounded till the end of never if I have a job at the Bait Shop my parents can't not let me go."

"Right. I have to blow dry my hair. I'll see you at school, 'kay?"

"'Kay." Summer snapped her phone shut and smiled in spite of herself.

There wasn't anything she wouldn't give for things to go back to the way they were before the boys left. Even now, she wanted to take Seth back but she just couldn't let go of what he did. Healing takes time, right?

* * *

"Hey Coop. Hey Linds." 

"Oh, hey Sum, what's up?" Lindsay and Marissa turned to face her.

"Not much," Summer answered.

Lindsay was new this year. She was pretty in a quirky way. She had long red hair and comforting eyes. She was somewhat of an outsider, someone Summer never would have associated with last year, but this year was so mixed up, all these feelings and friendships and Summer found herself caring less and less how other people viewed her.

In the beginning, she had reverted back to her old self, being bitchy and vain. She tried to become the person she had been last year, but of course Cohen had screwed everything up. As soon as he came back into the picture, she had changed yet again. She wanted to be the person she had been when she was with him but she couldn't even be that. Who she was now though, still dating the captain of the water polo team but friends with "that emo geek", suited her.

"So we're going to Ryan's after school, right? Study sesh?" Lindsay looked at Summer.

"Yeah, I'm totally confused." Summer noted the way Marissa's face softened a little at the mention of Ryan's name. They had talked about some stuff since he got back but there was still more that needed to be said. They weren't together and it didn't look like they would be any time soon. Besides, Marissa was having a little fling with the pool boy. She still loved Ryan though, but somehow it was different then it was between her and Seth. Marissa and Ryan are always gonna love each other, but it's a love you can ignore. Marissa could go off and marry some other guy and still love Ryan but it wouldn't interfere.

With Seth, she felt an almost nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like it wasn't gonna go away no matter how many other people she dated. She just needed time. Time to forgive him, and time to let him back in again. Completely.

"Marissa you're welcome to come, too." Lindsay made sure to include Marissa; she knew that she and Ryan had had something special and assumed it would be painful for her to be left out. Although Summer had her suspicions that Ryan and Lindsay had a little something else goin' on.

"Yeah, if I have time I'll drop by." Marissa smiled as the bell rang. The three girls left in different directions for their classes.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hey." Summer caught up with Zach in the hallway.

"Oh, hey," he said as he planted a kiss on her temple. "What are you doing this Friday?"

"Friday…not sure. Why?" They reached the door to the health classroom and headed inside.

"I was hoping we could hang out." Zach took a seat in the back corner as Summer sat down in the seat across from him. "Since you were with what's-his-face last weekend."

"His name is Seth and yeah, of course we can hang out," Summer answered right as the teacher walked in. Flashing the light's he got the class's attention.

"Settle down, settle down. Everyone, take your seats."

As the class shuffled around getting situated Zach leaned across the isle and whispered to Summer, "This is such a blow-off class."

"Tell me about it. I think they put it in the schedule just to take up time."

"Alright, we'll start with the question box," the teacher said as he removed a box from a table by the door. Pulling out a small piece of paper he read it over and frowned. "Um, the question is 'can you get syphilis from a chicken?'" The teacher cleared his throat and tugged at his tie before speaking again. "I don't know if this is a joke or not but this box is here for you guys to ask serious questions. I don't want you kids to just throw in questions to be funny." He cleared his throat one more time before adding, "And no, you cannot get syphilis from a chicken."

The class giggled as he walked over to the TV and popped in the movie. Zach and Summer spent the whole class passing notes about nothing in particular.

That was another Summer had noticed about Zach. When she was with Seth, there were never any awkward silences. He almost always had something to say and when he didn't, yeah there was silence but it wasn't awkward. With Zach she was constantly worried about saying something stupid and making sure she looked nice. They never just hung out in his bedroom, either. They were always doing something. She missed just being comfortable, nothing more and nothing less.

The bell rang dismissing them from health and the rest of the morning moved slowly. Summer was relieved when she finally made it to lunch, entering what she called "Seth time". From lunch on he was in all of her classes, making it easier for her to relax.

"I can't believe they stopped serving chocolate cake."

"Cohen, that cake was made with goat milk." Seth and Summer set their trays down on the table.

"Yeah, but it was really good. You couldn't even taste the goat milk."

"Gross." Seth smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "Where's Ryan?"

Ryan also had lunch 6A and normally ate with them but for some reason, today he was absent.

"I don't know," Seth answered.

"I just saw him last period." A few minutes passed as they ate their lunch in a comfortable silence.

"Well, speak of the devil," Seth said, as Ryan appeared, tray in hand. "Where were you?"

"I had to get my locker com changed."

"Why," Summer asked.

"Someone kept opening it," he explained.

"Oh. That sucks."

"Not really."

"Yeah. So you and Linds are still gonna help me study after school today, right?"

"Yeah, it's really simple, you just have to get the basics." Ryan said.

"Well right now, I don't get any of it and after today's class I get less."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The rest of the day moved quicker and the last bell finally rang dismissing them from TV production. "How late are you working?" Summer asked Seth as they made their way to his locker.

"I should be home around nine."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," Seth said as they finally reached his locker.

"Dude, that sucks."

"Did you just say dude?"

"Maybe." Seth looked questioningly at Summer. "God, ew anyone?"

"Okay it slipped," Seth tried to defend.

"Mmhmm," Summer said.

"Maybe if I didn't hang out with you so much."

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow." Summer headed off to her own locker.

"Later," Seth said to her retreating back.

* * *

Summer fidgeted in her seat at the Cohen's kitchen table. The air vent was blowing on her feet and she was having a hard time concentrating. 

"Summer?" It was Ryan's voice that pulled her back to reality.

"What?" She looked up quickly and Ryan and Lindsay were staring at her expectantly.

"Do you know the answer?" Lindsay asked.

"Oh, right. Velocity vectors?" Summer took a guess.

"Exactly."

"Wait it's right?"

"Yeah," said Lindsay.

"Summer, you know the material. You just need to be more confident in your answers," Ryan told her.

"Right, more confident."

Just then Marissa breezed through the kitchen, taking a seat next to Ryan. "Hey guys. How's the studying going?"

Ryan gave her a bit of a puzzled look.

"Kirsten let me in," she said in lieu of explanation.

"So what's up?" Summer started up a conversation.

"Oh, nothing. I was down at John Robert's and thought I'd stop over here on my way back."

"Ooo, did you get your nails done?" Summer leaned over the table. "Lemme see them."

Marissa held out her hand for Summer to admire. "Red. That's hot, Coop."

"Yeah, I was bored so I figured why not."

"Don't forget, this Sunday we're going to L.A."

"Oh yeah, spa day." Marissa thought for a minute and then said, "Linds, you can come too."

"I don't know. That's not really my thing."

"Come on, it would be so much fun." Summer tried to persuade her. "The first Sunday of every month me and Coop go down to L.A. and get the full spa treatment. Manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, everything. It feels amazingly good and you'd love it. If you don't, you never have to come again. Okay?"

"I guess so."

"So it's settled. We'll pick you up around eight."

"Hey guys," Ryan interrupted. "Can we get back to the velocity vectors?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

An hour later Summer was ready to pack up her stuff and head home. "Thanks so much for helping me, you guys."

"No problem," Lindsay said as she put her things in her book bag.

"Do you wanna stay for dinner?" Ryan asked Lindsay.

"Um yeah, just let me call my mom." Lindsay left the room to use the phone and Ryan turned to Summer.

"You're welcome to stay too but Seth won't be home till about nine."

"Why would you think his presence verses his absence would influence my decision on whether or not I wanted to eat here?"

"Because he's the only reason you do eat here."

"What makes you say that?"

Ryan ignored Summer's last question and said, "Doesn't it piss your boyfriend off that you spend so much time with Seth?"

"No, as a matter of fact, Zach is fine with it." Summer was lying through her teeth and they both knew it.

"Why are you dating that prick anyway?" Ryan asked.

"Why are you having this discussion with me?" Summer countered.

"Forget it. Just quit jerking Seth around. He's not a dog, you know."

She and Ryan had become fairly good friends, the only thing they ever fought about being Seth. Ryan said that Seth was hoping for too much and she was just going to let him down when they never got back together and Summer would yell back that it wasn't her fault he left.

"Well excuse me, but I can't help it if he's still in love with me."

"Yeah and up until last June, you were still in love with him too."

"I never—"

"No. You know what? I'm done. We're done talking about this."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Summer slung her bag over her shoulder and stormed past Lindsay on her way out. The difference between fighting with Ryan and fighting with Seth was that when she and Ryan fought, no one called the other up to apologize. Unless something truly horrific was said, they just pretended it didn't happen. And the one thing she always liked about Ryan was that he was completely honest with her. Whether they were fighting or not, he was always honest. He told her when she acted like a bitch and she appreciated it. Maybe not at the time, but in the long run.

She was about to turn around and remind Ryan to have Seth call her cell when he got home but she realized that that would just be wrong considering the argument she just finished with Ryan not ten seconds ago. Instead, she left without another word knowing full well Seth would call whether Ryan told him to or not.

* * *

"Hello?" 

"Hello, sunshine." Ever since she and Seth had started hanging out again he had adopted all of these pet names for her like sunshine and gorgeous. He said them in the most sarcastic of tones somehow managing to sound completely genuine at the same time.

"How was work?" Summer asked.

"Same old, same old."

"Fun. What are you doing now?"

"Well, Captain Oats and I were just having a discussion on the current world affairs."

"That sounds entertaining."

"I'm sure Captains Oats would agree." Seth paused for a minute before asking, "What are you doing Friday?"

"Friday's not good," Summer answered.

"Saturday?"

"Saturday is better."

"Lunch?" Seth asked.

"Lunch."

"So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, bye."

"Bye." Summer pulled her phone away from her ear and shut it. Honestly, she always felt a little sneaky after talking to Seth. At times she felt like she was having an affair; cheating on poor, innocent Zach with a more innocent Seth. She wasn't sure why she felt this way though the fact that she still had very strong feelings for Seth could be a clue. And even though everything was completely screwed up then, she still wished she could go back to that night when it was just the two of them on the pier and they were kissing and nothing else mattered.

She had every intention of kissing Seth again; under better circumstances, of course. She just needed time.

* * *

**Whew (wipes sweat off brow). I think that was probably the longest chapter I ever wrote. Now I know it's not much for action but my first chapters tend to be more of intros. It will get better later. I see some sex, break-ups, fights (physical and verbal), and changing relationships in the very near future! Leave a review!**


	2. Black and White TV

**

* * *

A/N: I realized my summary kind of sucked and really wasn't bringing in any "new readers". I mostly just had the few people that read my work continuously (thanks so much you guys!!). So I tried to come up with something a little more…entertaining? Inviting? I can't think of the word. Anyway, for those of you who watch Laguna Beach, I borrowed the Black and White party from the first episode (there's my little shout-out to that show). I, however, do not own Laguna Beach (that privilege is reserved for MTV and all those people down there) nor do I own The O.C. We have my good man Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and McG and all the great people down at Fox who we can thank for that. I will try my best to keep the chapter length but it's kinda hard. Well, now that I have _completely_ bored you, READ ON!**

**Just a little warning, it might get a little graphic but I don't think I need to change the rating. If you don't like sex, then skip it. **

Black and White TV

"Cohen, zip me?" Summer stepped out of the dressing room in a simple, black, strapless dress that hit her right at the knee with a bit of a swishy flair.

Seth walked over to her and reached for the zipper, very obviously noticing the amount of skin showing due to the fact that her dress was unzipped.

Seth finished zipping the dress up the back and she turned to face him.

"So?" she asked.

"So…it's nice?" Seth tried.

"Just nice?"

"It's beautiful," he said sardonically.

"Well, thank you," she said sweetly, either missing his sarcasm or choosing to ignore it. Seth wasn't sure which.

Summer went back into the dressing room only to emerge moments later in another black dress. This particular dress was chiffon with thick straps that dipped into a very low, narrow V-neck going practically down to her belly button. The back was a little more of an open V, ending very shortly before her butt.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"Summer, it's a black dress. You have a million dresses and half of them are black. Why don't you wear one of those?"

"First of all, I have, like, six black dresses. Second, I've worn them, like, three times before. Now, what do you think of the dress?"

"It's nice."

"You used that one last time."

"Right. Pretty?"

Summer gave him an exasperated look.

"You look fantastic. That dress is absolutely stunning," he deadpanned.

"You really think?" Summer looked down, studying the dress.

"Oh definitely. Just don't move your upper body while wearing it."

"What? Why?"

"Because if you do, your boobs will fall out of the dress." Not that Seth would mind.

"God, Cohen. And you wonder why I call you Superperv."

"Summer, it's true. That dress is cut so low, I can practically see them already."

"Okay, you're so not allowed to say that."

"Right, it will piss off the captain of the water polo team if he knows I'm looking at his girlfriend's boobs. Which, might I add, I have already seen and they're quite nice."

"Cohen!" Summer was in the process of shooting Seth a cross between a shocked look and a dirty one which, he completely ignored and continued talking.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't he be the one here watching you try on dresses?"

"For your information, he had practice today."

"Marissa?"

"Pool boy."

"Lindsay?"

"Please. Like I'm gonna trust her opinion. She's a nice girl and all but not the most educated when it comes to fashion."

"Ryan?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"Yes. And anyway, I'm not that educated about fashion either so why do I have to be here?"

"Because you are a boy. And boys are always honest." Summer thought a minute and then said, "Wait, let me rephrase that: boys are honest when it comes to how a girl looks. Other than that, forget it."

"Gee, I'm so glad I was always honest with you Summer. I see it's really influenced the way you look at guys."

Summer flashed Seth a smile before disappearing back into the dressing room.

* * *

"I just have a question." Marissa was flipping through a Rivera magazine as she sat on Summer's bed. 

"What's that?"

"Does your boyfriend know you spend all this time with Seth?"

"Oh my god, I do not spend that much time with Seth!"

Marissa raised her eyebrows.

"I don't!"

"Where were you an hour ago?'

"South Coast Plaza."

"With?"

"Alright, he just came with me because he's honest and everyone else was busy. Ah hem, Coop."

"Sorry Sum, I had some stuff to do," Marissa apologized.

"More like someONE."

Marissa's eyes widened and she looked up from her magazine. "Summer!"

"What? He's hot."

Marissa played dumb. "I don't even know who you're talking about."

"Oh, come on. We both know that you and your new pool boy have a lil' sumthin' sumthin' going on."

"First of all, his name is D.J. and we do not have a "lil' sumthin' sumthin'" going on." Marissa made finger quotes to emphasize her point.

"Yeah, okay," Summer said, clearly not believing a word Marissa was saying.

"We just…kissed."

"Oh my god, Coop! And you didn't tell me?!" Summer spun away from her full-length mirror and finally faced Marissa.

"It wasn't that big of a deal. I was upset and he was there. It just happened."

"I want details!"

"There aren't any details. We kissed. Those are the details."

"That's it?"

"Yes that's it." Marissa paused for a second. "Speaking of kissing, when are you and Seth gonna get it on?"

"What?"

"Oh god, Sum, there's so much sexual tension between you two, you can literally feel it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I like Zach."

"You better figure out who you _really_ like soon. You're gonna hurt Seth if you don't do something."

"You sound like Ryan. And besides, I don't have to _do_ anything. I'm already with Zach."

"So what's Seth? You're boyfriend on the side?"

"God, Coop. What's gotten into you? Cohen and I are just friends."

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's not my place. It's just that you do everything with Seth except have sex. At least, it seems like it."

"Look, I don't wanna have this discussion, okay?" Summer faced the mirror again. "So, what do you think of this dress?"

"I think it's hot. Just be careful when you move, your boobs are this close to falling out."

* * *

Summer was standing in front of the bathroom mirror putting the finishing touches on her hair. "Shit."

"What?"

"Burned myself."

"Ouch." Marissa went back to applying her lipgloss. "So, is Seth coming tonight?" Marissa tried to act casual about the question but lately it seemed like there were all of these underlying issues and questions that no one would talk about or ask whenever Seth was mentioned.

"Yes," Summer answered.

"Oh."

"Why?"

"Just wondering." Marissa took a step back and inspected herself. "Done. What do you think?"

"You look hot. That dress is killer. Who's it by?"

"Dior."

"Oh, is that the one we bought when we went shopping for your birthday?"

"Yeah."

Now, Summer took a step back, studying herself in the mirror. "So, how do I look?"

"Hot, and just in time," Marissa said as she heard a knock on the door.

"What? It's only seven."

"It said on the invite to be here at seven."

"Yeah, but everyone knows that seven really means seven fifteen."

"Only in Summerland." Marissa said as she headed for the door.

"Hey, how's it going?" Summer could hear Marissa greeting the first of the night's guests. She spritzed a little perfume on her wrists and neck and headed out into the main area of the room.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The party got crowded quick and the hotel room was soon filled to maximum capacity. Summer was currently making her way out onto the balcony with Zach in tow.

"Hey, Coop," Summer called to her best friend.

"What's up?"

"Is Ryan coming?"

"Yeah, he and Lindsay just got here a few minutes ago."

"Thanks." Summer gave Marissa's hand a little squeeze knowing she was still sore when it came to the subject of Ryan and then she set off in search for him.

It wasn't hard to find him. He was standing in a corner with Lindsay and they both looked like the biggest loners but it was funny because they didn't seem to care.

"Hey," she said as she approached them.

"Hey, Sum," Lindsay greeted her.

"Hi Summer," Ryan said as he nodded to Zach.

"Um, I'm kind of thirsty. Maybe you should get us some drinks?" Summer used the fact that she had Zach wrapped completely around her little finger to her advantage. She knew that Zach and Ryan didn't get along nor did Seth and Zach, which was another good reason to send him away so she could ask her question.

"So, is he here?" Summer turned back to Ryan.

"Honestly Summer, I don't know. Lindsay and I came by ourselves and he said he was gonna take the Range Rover and drive up later. I haven't seen him yet."

"Thanks." Summer offered up an apologetic smile as she turned to leave.

"Watch yourself," Ryan said she as she started to make her way back into the crowd. She nodded to him before disappearing completely.

She hadn't been able to find Zach since she sent him to get drinks yet she thought this a good thing considering Seth walked in not too long after her conversation with Ryan.

"Hey," she said as he opened his arms to accept the hug she offered him.

"Hi," he said into her ear.

"You're late, where were you?"

"I just went out to eat after work." Seth was nervous about something and Summer could tell.

"By yourself?"

"Um, no." Seth would have stopped there but Summer was staring at him expectantly and he could never keep anything from her. "Alex asked if I wanted to go and I said okay." He stuffed his hands in the pocket of his black, pinstriped blazer, something he often did when he was nervous and looked at the ground.

"Oh," Summer said. She felt a pang of jealousy at the discovery of this news but tried to hide it. However, the thought of her ex-boyfriend whom she still felt for sitting alone in a booth at some restaurant with the gorgeous blonde who he worked with kind of got to her. "Sounds fun."

"Yeah," Seth mumbled.

And then Summer felt guilty for making him feel guilty. I mean, she had no claim on him, right? They were just friends so he was allowed to eat with whomever, wherever, and whenever he wanted.

"So, are you thirsty?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

He looked up, almost gratefully, "Yeah, sure."

They made their way over to the little bar they had set up and Summer got them some drinks.

"So, who's paying for all of this?"

"Who do you think?"

"Good old daddy."

"Hey, don't make fun. Who bought you that shirt you're wearing?"

Seth looked down at his white polo. "You?"

"With daddy's credit card."

"Great. Thanks a lot, Summer. Now I owe your dad seventy dollars."

"No you don't. It was a birthday gift."

"There you are!" Zach came out of the crowd and over to Summer wrapping his arm around her waist and nuzzling her neck.

"Oh, hey Seth! Didn't even see you there. How ya been, buddy?"

"Zach." Seth nodded in his direction.

"Um, Zach? How much have you had to drink?" Summer asked.

"Well, I don't remember."

"Mmhmm, maybe you should put that down and have some water." Summer removed the drink from his hand and set in on the bar.

"No, no I'm fine," he said, reaching for his drink.

"Zach, you're drunk off your ass."

"Summer, I said I'm fine." Zach reached for the drink again but Summer tried to stop him. He slapped her hand away and grabbed the drink.

"Whoa, watch it! You don't have to hit her." Seth stepped in, defending Summer.

"Maybe you should mind your own business!" Zach turned to Seth, getting close enough for Seth to smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Yeah, and I will. But as soon as you start treating her with disrespect it becomes my business." Seth said, calmly.

"Seth," Summer said, placing a hand on his arm.

"Screw you!" Zach whipped back around to face Summer. "God, I'm sick of this. I'm done!" And with that he stormed out the door.

Summer turned and walked away, heading in the direction of the bathroom. Seth groaned and followed her. After knocking on the door for a good three minutes he finally heard the click of the lock. He let himself in to find Summer sitting on the toilet bent over and playing with her hands.

"Summer, I—"

She held her hand up and cut him off. "Don't."

She wasn't crying or anything. She was just sitting there, thinking. She didn't want to hear Seth apologize. It wasn't his fault that Zach had just broken up with her. It wasn't anyone's fault but her own.

"It was waiting to happen," she said, voicing her thoughts.

It was still in the bathroom while they looked around, not quite sure where to let their eyes fall. Finally Summer stood. She looked at Seth, and there was pain evident in her eyes. Truthfully, she wasn't sure that the majority of the pain came from that fact that she and Zach were no longer together. She liked Zach, she really did. But there was just something missing. Now though, she felt more hurt knowing that she was vulnerable in a tiny bathroom with Seth and she had no clue what to do with herself.

"Come here," he said.

And she took those few steps, closing the distance between them. She buried her head in his chest, glad for this excuse to be so close to him. Immediately, she was flooded with millions of memories as she took in his smell and the feel of his arms around her. He rubbed small circles on her back as they stood there, not paying any mind to the time or the party that was continuing just outside the door.

She later concluded that had she not been so emotional and alone in that bathroom with Seth, she wouldn't have done it. But as the story goes, she _was_ emotional and she _was_ alone in the bathroom with Seth. So she looked up at him, feelings clouding her eyes, and she kissed him. She kissed him soft and slow. And not to her surprise, he kissed back. She gently opened his lips with her tongue, which he gratefully accepted. His hands were no longer rubbing small circles on her back but instead running up and down it, feeling the bare skin that was there, much thanks to her backless dress. The strap of her dress fell down and one of her boobs finally did fall out of the dress. Seth cradled it in his hand as she moved to kiss his neck.

"Cohen," she said, her breath hitching as his thumb brushed a sensitive part of her.

"Yeah?" He answered, breathless as she was.

"What are your parents doing?"

He stopped kissing her neck for a moment. "Sleeping?"

"Do you," she kissed him again, "think we could go," she kissed him yet again, "to your house? You know, where it's private."

"Yeah, yeah of course." Seth Cohen was not about turn down Summer Roberts' request to move to a more private location. He kissed her one last time before pulling her dress strap back up to cover her. She wiped the lipgloss off of his cheek and he turned to open the door. She didn't let go of his hand as they made their way through the crowd to the door.

"Wait," she stopped him. "I have to find Coop." Seth gave her his best puppy dog look. "Real quick," she promised, taking a risk and planting a quick kiss on his lips.

They looked for a while, finally finding Marissa still out on the balcony although she had been joined by Lindsay. "Hey guys."

"Hey Sum, where have you been? This party was such an awesome idea." Marissa noticed Seth and greeted him. "Hey Seth, see you made it."

"Oh, yeah, hey Marissa. Lindsay."

"Yeah, so we're gonna head out."

"Already?"

"We're tired." Summer supplied the girls with the best excuse she could come up with. "I'll catch you later though."

"Sum, are you all right?"

"Yeah, of course. Later." She pulled Seth away from them and through the crowd, finally reaching the door. They made their way to the elevator where she snuck some kisses before it reached the bottom floor and they got in the Range Rover. It was a quiet ride to Seth's house, which should have given Summer plenty of time to think. She didn't want to think about everything that had happened though, so she didn't. Instead, she spent the ride thinking of the prospect of what was about to happen.

They finally reached the Cohen's house and they stepped out of the car. The lights were off which was a good sign. Seth motioned to Summer to "shh" as they entered the house. They quietly made their way up the stairs and into Seth's bedroom where he barely had time to close the door before Summer's lips where on his. His jacket hit the floor, as did his polo shortly thereafter. At last they made it to the bed where Summer gently pushed Seth onto it, falling lightly on top of him. Her dress was halfway off as she worked on his belt buckle.

"Hey Summer," Seth said, pulling his lips away from the fold in her neck for a minute.

"What?"

"Since my parents are in the house, you can't scream like you usually do."

Summer sat up. "How am I supposed the have sex and not yell?"

"People do it all the time."

"Yes, but I'm a very vocal person."

"Yeah, I know." Seth paused before deciding that he didn't care if his parents woke up so long as he was gonna get laid, and by Summer at that. He pulled her back down, and before kissing her, said, "Bite your tongue."

**So, I really hadn't planned that, like, at all but it's what came to me when I was writing. Hope you guys enjoy and drop a review!**


	3. Unspoken Arguements

A/N: So, the first two chaps were more of Summer's point of view and what she's thinking. Now, I'm gonna try a little harder to get into Seth's head, though I may not be very good. Sometimes though, you just need to do stuff like that. Also, still not happy with the summary…I think I'm just gonna keep trying stuff till I like it. Yeah…yeah, that sounds good.

Caitlyn Rose, Svocfanatic, adamismin69, mikelucas1, Mrs.AdamBrody…you guys are just a few people that I have noticed review almost all of my stories and I just wanted to say thanks! I always love hearing your input!

Unspoken Arguments 

Summer hadn't been around for the past three days. She hadn't called, and she had completely avoided him in school. It was like he was living the first day of senior year all over again, something he never wanted to do. Summer would come to school and pass through the morning quietly until lunch where she would ditch and just skip out completely. She'd just hop in her BMW and leave.

Seth was pissed. He had woken up the morning after the Black and White party alone, which would have been normal had he not remembered the night of mind-blowing sex he and Summer had participated in. Then she had the nerve to avoid him entirely for three days before finally showing up at his house and asking for…English notes!

Well, if he wasn't pissed before, he was now. "Excuse me?"

"The English notes. For the test on Thursday. Do you have them?"

Seth didn't even know what to say. He could not believe that she really wasn't going to acknowledge the events that had happened in Seth's very bedroom a mere four days ago. He was about to lay it all out which much screaming involved until he had a different thought.

"Yeah, I noticed you haven't been in school after lunch. Why?"

"Umm…" Tick tock. Tick tock. "I didn't feel good after 5th period Monday and Tuesday and then I had a doctors appointment today." Wow Summer Roberts, you're getting good.

"Oh, that sucks."

"Yeah, so the English notes?"

"Hold on, I'll go get them for you." So this was the game she wanted to play? Well then, he was gonna play, and he was gonna play damn good.

* * *

Summer knew she was being a bitch. But she also knew she couldn't talk to Cohen about what had happened. She had been emotional that night and she just needed someone to be there. That someone happened to be him. Having sex with him was a mistake. She hadn't meant to take it that far, she really hadn't. Things just got out of control. It felt good to be with him again. Too good.

Speaking of which, she was just a tiny bit more curious about his little trip now. He definitely did not know some of those things when he left. She mentally swore that if she ever met the slut who taught him, she'd kick her. Then she mentally kicked herself for thinking that. Besides, she didn't care what Seth did.

Anyway, Zach had called a day later to apologize. He said he was sorry that he was drunk and next time he'd listen to her when she told him to lay off. And he was what Summer needed, right? Not Seth with his curly hair and goofy smile. So she forgave Zach and they were together again. She just didn't know how to tell Seth. Another good reason to avoid him.

But now, Summer was getting seriously suspicious. Something was up. Cohen hadn't even tried to bring up the sex. At all. Like, not even when they were alone at his house. Summer couldn't figure it out and she was getting just a little nervous. Did he care that they had had sex? Didn't it mean something to him?

* * *

_"The hush of early dawn, the golden glow of sun, we see promise and harmony…"_

"More air sopranos!" the chorus teacher called from behind the piano. "You guys have got to get up there. Altos and baritones, you guys are down. Sopranos, take it from "in the breathtaking moments"."

Summer sat down and crossed one leg over the other. Chorus was a pointless class but she needed an elective. Plus, there was never any work so that was a plus. It was a good thing there wasn't any work because she was having a hard time concentrating. She could hardly remember the words to the songs let alone any of the material they had covered in English. Guess she was going to fail that test.

The bell finally rang and they were dismissed from chorus. Summer headed into lunch feeling just a little uneasy. She was going to stay today; the whole day. She was going to walk out onto the patio and act as if everything were normal, just like she did yesterday at his house.

"Is this seat taken?" Summer motioned to the seat next to Ryan at the table.

"That depends," he said as he glanced up at her.

"Really? On what?"

"Are you gonna want it tomorrow?" Ryan set his fork down on his tray and sat back.

"What are you talking about?" Summer was clearly confused.

"What you did to Seth was really shitty."

_Oh God. _"Wh…what are you talking about?" Summer asked, preparing for the biggest lecture Ryan had ever given her.

"Come on, Summer. Do I really look that stupid? Seth told me everything." Ryan paused for a minute, thinking. "You weren't even drunk."

"Look, I know how it must seem, but it's not like that."

"Then how is it?"

"I can't…explain it. It's just…you wouldn't understand." Summer didn't even understand it herself.

"That's good. You should try that one on Seth. I'm sure he'll really get it then." Ryan picked up his tray and bag and headed for the trashcan where he dumped his lunch and walked back into the building.

Summer sighed and fell into the chair. She had expected Ryan to yell at her or…something. But the way he talked just made her feel so guilty. Not that she didn't already feel guilty, cause she did. But after that conversation, the guilt just curled up like a cat in her stomach preparing for a long stay.

"Hey," Seth said, taking the seat Ryan had just vacated.

"Oh, hey," she said, taking her head out of her hands quickly. The appearance of Seth had startled her.

"You okay?" he asked, sounding a little worried.

"Oh yeah. Just tired." She scooted her chair closer to the table.

"Not eating?" Seth asked noticing her lack of lunch.

"Not hungry," she explained.

"So, what are your weekend plans?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Um…not sure. I have to work on Saturday but The Killers are playing The Bait Shop Friday so I'll probably be there. You?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go up to The Bait Shop on Friday too."

"With Zach?" Seth's face was blank.

"Um…yeah," she said, her voice quiet. And again with the guilt.

* * *

Seth could see Summer out of the corner of his eye. She was dancing with Zach and other than it being completely nauseating, what with the way he was touching her and all, it was frustrating too. She slept with him and then just blew him off. She didn't even acknowledge it all. He knew she could be a bitch but this was a new low for her.

He couldn't have been sure, but he was almost positive that she just gave him a smug look. He literally had to clench his fist to keep himself from getting up off of his stool, walking over there, and beating the shit out of Zach. Well, trying to, at least. He knew from past experiences that he was little bit of a failure at beating people up, especially water polo players.

Anyway, Alex had been flirting with him all night. Hell, she had been flirting with him since he got this job. She was hot too. I mean, she was no Summer but, then again, no one was. He was mad as hell at Summer though, so at the next pause in their conversation, he went for it. He leaned across the bar and planted a kiss on her lips. To his satisfaction, she kissed back. He had no way of knowing, but he was sure Summer saw it. He was gonna play her game and he was gonna win too.

* * *

Summer had noticed Seth getting particularly cozy with the blonde chick behind the counter. The girl turned back to face the room and Summer realized it was Alex. The same Alex that Seth had been late to the party because he was eating with her. Summer couldn't believe he had the nerve to sleep with her and then flirt with another girl right in front of her face.

Then again, she was the one ignoring it so she couldn't really blame him, could she? She was still angry with him, even if she didn't have a legitimate reason.

So it was with these thoughts that she pulled Zach closer as they danced. She hadn't actually formally told Seth that they had gotten back together. It was just one of those things he kind of picked up on, making a comment and moving on. He hadn't even looked angry about it. Was that all he wanted? Just to screw her one more time? Why didn't he care?

"Oh no, he did _not_ just kiss that hoebag," Summer mumbled. She tightened her grip on Zach because she knew if she didn't, there was a large possibility that she would have walked over there and slapped Seth _and_ his hoe.

"What?" Zach glanced down at Summer, yelling over the music.

"Nothing. I wasn't talking to you."

Summer continued to dance, grinding her hips against his. Whenever she thought she saw Seth glance in their direction, she'd pull Zach in for a kiss. She continued with this pattern for a while until she watched Alex kiss him again. She and Zach were doing the same thing and it wasn't good enough. Right now, she and Seth were even. She wanted to be ahead.

"Let's go," she said, kissing Zach again and dragging him out of the club.

* * *

Summer lay staring at the ceiling; Zach was sleeping soundly next to her. She was disgusted with herself. The thoughts of Zach's hands roaming her body made her feel dirty. He wasn't anything like Seth. And the whole time they were doing it, she couldn't help but think about how wrong it felt. She had clearly won the unvoiced dispute she and Seth had been having, yet she didn't feel victorious. She just felt gross.

And then she knew she had made a big, big mistake.

She slipped quietly out the bed and found her discarded clothes. She bit back her tears as she put them on, making as little noise as possible. She was almost done, just gathering up her purse, when she heard him.

"Babe?" God, she hated when guys called her that.

"Yeah?" She tried not to show her surprise.

"Where you going?" Zach sat up and looked at her through the darkness.

"I…umm…I have to get home." She made her way to the door, hoping that he wouldn't stop her.

"Are you sure? My parents won't be home until the afternoon."

"Yeah, my dad will worry." Summer knew that was a complete lie but hoped that he wouldn't catch on. Seth would have. She knew the proper thing to do would be to lean across the bed and give him a kiss before walking out the door but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't want him to touch her. "Later." She left him with a small wave and managed to find her way down the hallway out the front door.

She was thankful that she had driven her own car to his house before Zach drove them both to the club because now, at least, she had her own ride home. She had to forcefully hold in the tears that were threatening to spill over. She was about the turn out of his driveway in the direction of her home when she had a better idea.

She parked in front of his house and sat there for a while, debating the best plan of action. Finally, she decided on her cell phone. She picked it up and held down the three until her phone blinked. Getting out of her car, she made her way up to his front door.

A groggy voice answered. "Hello?"

Summer paused, not sure if she could find her voice. At last, she forced herself to speak, knowing she needed him right then.

"Hey," she said.

"Summer?" His voice was laced with a mixture of concern and surprise. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She stopped, not sure what to say exactly. "I'm sorry to wake you up and everything cause I know it's, like, three in the morning but I needed to see you. And, I'm, like, outside your house."

"What?" Seth sounded even more surprised.

"I said, I'm outside your hou—"

Seth cut her off. "I heard what you said. I just…"

All of a sudden the front door swung open and Seth was standing there clad in pajama pants and t-shirt. His hair was mussed and there were creases from his sheets on his cheek. He must have bolted out of his bed and down the stairs in order to have gotten there so fast. Summer would have been surprised if he didn't wake his parents.

"Can we talk?" she whispered.

"Yeah, come inside." He whispered back as he guided her up to his bedroom with his hand on the small of her back. He shut the door and flipped on his lamp as Summer took a seat on his bed. She didn't know if he even wanted her anymore but, at this point, she didn't care. She was just going to tell him everything.

Seth was leaning on his desk with his hands on the desk behind him and looking at her blankly. He was obviously awaiting an explanation. Summer looked at him and, for once, couldn't read his expression.

She started in on her story. "I saw you kiss that girl tonight."

"Yeah," Seth nodded.

"And it made me really mad. Like really, really mad." She was going slow, making sure not to jump ahead. Or just postponing the inevitable.

"Mmhmm," Seth said.

"And so I wanted to get back at you for it. Only more so." Seth was still listening, still looking at her, and she still couldn't read him.

"So…"

Summer's eyes started to fill with tears. "So Zach and I…" Looking at Seth she could tell he was going to make her spell it out. "We had sex, Cohen."

Seth didn't say anything and even though he tried to hide it, Summer could see his face fall. Just knowing that she had hurt him caused her tears to silently spill over.

"But it wasn't right. And he wasn't anything like you." She tried to soothe the pain as she got up and walked closer to him. "And, it made me realize that…" This was it, "I still have feelings for you." Here she paused and looked at her hands, waiting for his response.

He took a minute to gather his thoughts. "And I still have feelings for you," he finally said.

Summer was relieved that he didn't reject her but she knew she had made a huge mistake by doing what she did with Zach. She was going to have to do some serious repenting.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Seth opened his arms to her and she buried her face in his chest. "I'm so, so sorry," she mumbled again.

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. She leaned up just far enough to brush a kiss on his lips. Summer pulled back and crossed over to his bed where she sat down again. He sat next to her and kissed her quickly before she lay down opening her arms. Seth lay down beside her, his body right up against hers with his head on her chest. She threaded her fingers through his curls as he fingered the hem on her shirt.

"So, what now?" Seth asked, keeping his eyes downward.

Summer didn't answer for a while. She knew she was afraid she would get too attached and he would leave again. She looked away and quietly said, "Nothing now."

Seth understood. He was the only person who just got her like that. He nodded his head and she could feel it move on her stomach. Finally, he leaned up and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She kissed back just as softly before they pulled apart, Seth resting his head on her chest again.

"I love you," he said and she nodded.

She knew he couldn't see her so she said, "I know."

A few moments of silence passed before Seth said, "You know, I only kissed her to make you jealous."

"Really?" Summer said, a small smile spreading across her lips. "Well, it worked."

"Yeah, except that now I have to explain to her that I don't like her like that. And then she's going to think I'm an asshole for kissing her."

"Yeah, she probably will," Summer teased.

"Thanks, way to make me feel good."

"I know lots of ways to make you feel good," she said seductively.

"Oh good lord." Seth looked up and Summer kissed him.

"But not in the house with your parents."

"We've done it before," Seth tried to persuade her.

"I'm tired now," she said as she slid a little further down getting comfortable in his bed. "Let's just sleep."

Seth kissed her neck and lay back on her chest after shutting off the light. And for the first time since Seth had been back, Summer thought that, just maybe, things would be okay again.


	4. Stickers and Kittens

**A/N: Thanks so much for all of the great reviews! They really motivate me to write. Now honestly, I'm not even sure where I'm going with this story so I'd really love some ideas. **Daniela**- you asked about how Seth was so calm with Summer sleeping with Zach...well, maybe that's gonna come back and bite Summer in the ass...wink**

**P.S. **Caitlyn Rose**, the one-shot I wrote about them kissing on the pier didn't actually happen. It was what I had kind of hoped for to have happened in episode 202 The Way We Were. I wrote that story before the show started up again so it was a guess. Thanks for the review!**

Stickers and Kittens

"Cohen, you are so slow!" Summer was running backwards so that she was facing Seth.

"Maybe you're just...really...fast," he said, slightly out of breath.

Summer stopped and waited for him to catch up. When he finally did, he bent over with his hands on his knees trying to regulate his breathing. Summer waited patiently for him to finish.

When he finally stood up, he said, "Remind me again why we're running?"

"Because exercise is good for us. Plus it makes us happy," she said matter-of-factly.

"Last time I checked, running a mile didn't make me happy." Seth finally managed a controlled breathing.

"Maybe not yet. But when we get back to my place it will." Summer winked at him and he immediately understood the implications of her answer.

"Alright, I'm ready to head back," Seth said quickly, turning around.

"Cohen, we still have a quarter of a mile to run before we're supposed to head back."

"It's okay cause when we get back, I'll give you a workout that's equivalent to a quarter of a mile." Seth gave her a goofy smile.

"Really," Summer said, a little surprised. "Well, I'd like to see that," she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along in the direction of her house.

Summer was never one to cheat on her boyfriends. She knew that there were guys who thought she was like that; that even though she was dating so-and-so, they could just pull her into a room and hook up with her. But cheating was a definite no no in her book. That's why the very morning after she and Seth had had their little talk, she called up Zach. She went to his house because she thought breaking up with someone over the phone was too bitchy, even for her. So she told him that things just weren't working out, gave him a hug and wished they could still be friends. He said they could and then she turned on her heel and left a very bewildered looking Zach standing in his living room.

She and Seth weren't an official couple though because for one, that would be even bitchier than breaking up with Zach over the phone. And two, because Summer was scared. She had issues with abandonment, rooted to her mother, and Seth was so good to her. Too good to her. She didn't want to have to let go of him.

"Peanut butter is, like, really good." Summer licked the remaining peanut butter off of her fingers as she stood in her kitchen. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and she was just a little sweaty from their run.

"Did you just figure that out," Seth asked, as he stuck his finger in the jar and pulled it back out, now covered in peanut butter.

"No," she said, shoving him lightly in the shoulder as he stuck his peanut butter coated finger in his mouth.

"But a peanut butter and banana sandwich is disgusting," he said, eyeing the sloppily made sandwich that was sitting in front of her.

"You haven't even tried it yet!"

"Yeah, and I'm not gonna because I really don't wanna throw up."

Summer picked up a half of the sandwich and shoved it towards his face. "Just taste it!"

"No," he said moving away from her. She chased after him and a small struggle ensued resulting with Seth having peanut butter smeared on his face. "Ew," he said as he wiped at the peanut butter smears

"Ew?"

"I blame it on you," he said, still wiping at his face.

"Come here," Summer said, and he warily walked towards her. She took her thumb, licked it, and wiped gently at his face.

"Thanks, mom," he said sardonically.

"Please don't even refer to me as mom again."

"Good plan." Seth said, as Summer backed away, having completed the task at hand and walked back to counter where the remaining half of her sandwich sat.

"You really should just try it," she said, not yet giving up on convincing him to taste her favorite sandwich combination.

Seth walked over to her and she held out the sandwich to him. He took a small, cautious bite and chewed slowly. After swallowing, he said, "That's not half bad."

"I told you! Next time, you should just trust me," she said as she took her own bite of the sandwich.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said sarcastically.

From somewhere in the house a random song played and Summer finally noticed. "Ew, Cohen, who is this?"

"Jets to Brazil."

"I don't like them," Summer said.

"I found the CD in _your_ bedroom."

"Only cause you left it here," Summer retorted.

"It was still in the player."

"Whatever. The point is if you don't turn it off right now you may never see my _bedroom_ again." Seth disappeared from the room for a moment to turn the CD off just because Summer had that kind of power over him. Returning to the kitchen he walked up behind Summer, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her neck and she dropped her sandwich as she turned around to face him. He kissed her lips this time, just hard enough to make her forget about Jets to Brazil and peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

* * *

"Ew. It stinks in here." Summer waved her hand in front of her face as she walked into the building.

"Yes, well, stray animals can do that. Especially when they're all confined to one room." Seth followed Summer, weaving in and out of the cages.

"But it really, really stinks," Summer said, as she stopped to look at a particularly fat cat who was sleeping in its litter box.

"You said you wanted a kitten," Seth pointed out.

"But kittens are supposed to be cute and fluffy, not smelling like...something really gross."

"It won't smell if you give it a bath."

"Oh my God! That one is so cute!" Summer violently grabbed Seth by the arm and yanked him around to face the cage she was currently looking at. "Look at him, Cohen!"

"Ow! Jesus, Summer." Seth rubbed his arm.

"Isn't he cute?" Summer poked at the kitten in the cage.

"He's adorable," Seth deadpanned.

"I think he likes me," Summer said, referring to the way the kitten was practically climbing the wall of the cage in some kind of an attempt to escape.

"You know, I bet you you're right. I can practically hear him calling your name."

"Shut up," she said, as she smacked him on the arm.

Summer admired the kitten for a while longer before saying, "I think I might want this one. But I don't know because I haven't looked at the rest of them. I mean, what if there's one that's way cuter?"

"I don't know, Summer." This was one of those times that Seth really had no idea what was going through Summer's head.

"I'll put it on hold. I can do that, right?" Summer didn't give him time to answer before she was off to find someone who worked there. "Excuse me, yeah, hi. I was wondering if I could put that kitten over there on hold. I just wanna look around some more so if you could just, like, put a sticker on him or something that'd be great. Thanks!"

Seth bit his tongue to stop himself from laughing out loud. Sometimes she really was the epitome of a rich girl. I mean, put a sticker on it?

"Alright, it's all settled. Let's look at the rest of them."

A few days ago when Seth, Marissa, Summer, Ryan, and Lindsay were lazing around the Cohen's pool, the conversation turned to pets. Seth couldn't remember for the life of him how they started talking about their old pets, but that was beside the point. Marissa had shared her story about Dustin and how they got him when she was just a little girl. She was allowed to name him and was, at that time, obsessed with unique boy names so now, the poor dog was saddled with the name Dustin. Dustin had died, though, of canine leukemia after about episode 3...excuse me, I meant over the summer before senior year.

Ryan talked about Freddy, the goldfish he won at one of his rare school functions. He had managed to sink a ping-pong ball into one of the tiny fish bowls and was, therefore, rewarded with the fish the bowl was currently housing. Ryan was only nine at the time and couldn't remember where the hell he came up with the name Freddy. That wasn't important though because Freddy died about three weeks after Ryan got him. Damn goldfish don't live for more than a month.

Lindsay had, quite possibly, the most interesting pet of them all. A small salamander named Dottie. Her obsession with Leave It To Beaver had conjured up that name. Dottie the dinosaur, Dottie the salamander...it was close enough. Dottie was a present for her twelfth birthday and he had managed to last her all the way until her fifteenth before he contracted the salamander plague and died.

Seth claimed he was deprived as a child and his parents never bought him a pet.

Summer, on the other hand, had a little Persian cat with a big fluffy tail. She had gotten him when she was just five years old. It had been a present for being a big girl and going to kindergarten. Unfortunately, five year olds can be a little rough, and old, cranky cats tend to have a problem with that. He would disappear of for long periods of time and Summer said she never got to know him very well, though how you got to know a cat was lost on Seth. His name was Shadow...up until he got run over.

So then Seth made the mistake of saying he would buy her a new cat. Now he was stuck in this smelly, cramped Rescue Village looking for a cat that Summer would just get sick of and most likely stop feeding. Not on purpose, she would just forget about it. Or she would get so sick of it that she'd wind up inventing up some big plan for the most painless way to kill it. Yeah, she had a bit of a mean streak.

"So, I think I'm going to get the black and white one," Summer said, as she stepped out of the last row of cages.

"You mean the first one you liked?" Seth couldn't believe he had just walked row after row of smelly cages, looking at cat after cat for her to just pick the third one they looked at.

"Yeah. The one with the sticker." Summer started to make her way down to the first row to find her kitten.

Seth didn't believe that these people would actually put a cat on hold, let alone put a sticker on it. But judging by the amount of cats that were in the room versus the amount of people, there were probably more than enough cats to go around. Twice.

Summer finally found the cage she was looking for and, thankfully, the kitten. He was still in there pawing at the door in some anomalousattempt to free himself from his tiny prison.

"Hi, kitty," she said, speaking through the bars. "I'm gonna take you home with me." She turned to Seth, and said, "Wait here while I go find the lady."

Summer returned with the skinny woman who seemed to be running the place. "That one," Summer said, as she pointed to the teeny kitten. The woman stepped forward and opened the cage just far enough to remove to kitten that had scrambled to the entrance. She handed the cat to Summer and motioned for the two of them to follow her to the front desk. The woman, whose name was Betty, according to her nametag, pulled some papers out from under the counter. She said that those papers would explain how to care for the kitten. Some cash was handed over (out of Seth's wallet, of course) and some papers were signed and they were given a box for the cat.

Summer declared that she would hold the cat for the entire ride as opposed to shutting it up in its box. About three minutes into the car ride, the kitten started freaking out and Summer said she had no other choice but to lock him up. They finally arrived home and Summer grabbed the box as Seth followed her into the house.

"So, what do we do with it now?" Summer looked carefully at the box that was currently making some very interesting sounds.

"Um, let it out, I guess," Seth said.

Summer walked warily over to it and slowly peeled back the top. All of a sudden the cat flew out of the box and ran frantically around the room. Summer screamed shrilly and clung to Seth, which probably didn't help matters much. All Seth could do was hold her and try not to laugh as the kitten finally came to an abrupt halt under the couch. After a few moments of stillness, Summer said, "Go get it."

"Hell no. I am not touching that physco of a cat." Seth backed away and held his hands up in front of him.

"What, and you think I am?"

"It's your cat."

"You bought it," Summer pointed out.

"Yeah, for you!"

"Fine. You are such a wuss, Cohen." Summer crouched down beside the couch. "Here kitty kitty."

Apparently the cat was very skittish in his newfound environment because he leapt out from under the couch, almost nailing Summer in the face. She screamed again and jumped back, landing on her butt. Seth immediately started cracking up.

"And you said I'm a wuss," Seth managed to say his current state of hysterics.

"Shut the hell up."

Seth didn't stop laughing. He knew she had the ability to inflict severe bodily injuries upon him, but the entire scene was so damn funny that he couldn't stop if he tried.

"You are such a jackass," she said, as she threw her well-aimed shoe at his head. Seth dodged it, though, at the last second and the shoe succeeded only in putting a mark on the wall.

Seth finally managed to suppress his laughter and Summer had still not moved from her spot on the floor. Out of nowhere, the kitten came calmly walking into the room from wherever he had freaked out to, and climbed into Summer's lap.

"Hey there kitty," Summer said, petting the kitten affectionately.

Seth walked towards her and sat on the couch in front of Summer and the cat.

"Now we get to name him. He'll be like our little baby." Summer smiled at him.

Seth wondered if Summer realized she had just referred to the cat as "our" baby because if she did, she certainly didn't acknowledge it.

"How about Oliver," Seth suggested.

"Oliver?" Summer raised her eyebrows. "Okay one, Oliver Twist. And two, Oliver Trask. No way, no Oliver."

"Okay...James?"

"God, Cohen you are, like, so bad at this naming thing." Summer looked at the cat for a moment before her head snapped up. "I got it!"

"What," Seth asked, just a little curious to hear what genius name she had come up with.

"I'm going to call him Cohen." Summer beamed proudly at her smartness.

"What? No. I do not want a cat named after me," Seth protested.

"Hey, it's an honor."

"No. That thing is a _freak_," Seth said, pointing at the cat.

"Cohen, you're going to hurt his feelings."

Seth looked at her blankly. "Summer, it's a cat. It has no idea what I'm saying. I could call it blind retard and it wouldn't know."

"You are cruel. And I'm naming it Cohen." Summer paused for a beat. "Unless you want to name it Ezekiel..."

"What the...what...how do you know that?"

"I talk to your mother."

"Not anymore you won't. Not if she's telling you stuff like that."

"Ugh...you are so uptight." Summer stood up with the cat in her hand. "You need to loosen up a bit," she said, as she smacked his shoulder with her free hand. Then she held the cat up to her face, and said, "I'm going to go get you some milk because you're really skinny. You're like the cat version of Coop. Now Cohen, be good and wait here with Cohen." Summer thrusted the cat at Seth and walked out of the room.

"Wait, Summer...I don't want the...this is going to get confusing!" After receiving no real response from Summer who had disappeared into the kitchen, Seth looked down at the kitten who was looking up at him with innocent eyes. "Well, looks like it's just me and you, buddy."


	5. Talk Like A Pirate Day

**A/N: So the site has been totally whacked lately…upsetting. That's why the update took so long because I wasn't able to log in or anything. But fear not! Since for, like, my whole Thanksgiving break I wasn't able to get on, I have TWO chaps already written (including this one). So you'll have two chapters to satisfy your craving while we're on hiatus (sniffle). Now, on with the story! Oh, and just a little warning…there's a sex scene in this chap. **

Trust23**, no worries. I don't have any plans for a pregnancy. Cross my heart. (Crosses an X over left side of chest). **

Talk Like A Pirate Day

"Circle! Circle, Summer, circle!"

"There's too many of them!" The action on the TV screen stopped and a GAME OVER flashed across the screen. "So I lose?"

"Yes, Summer. You lose." Seth took the controller from Summer. "I think that's enough playstation for one day."

"God it's not my fault that the ninja game is retarded. I was hitting circle." Summer leaned back into the couch and crossed her arms in a huff.

"Yes, you were."

Seth had learned a long time ago to always agree with Summer when she was pouty. Unless of course, she was referring to the way she was dressed or the way she looked. When she said something like "I look fat in this" or "My nose looks too big" that's when he disagreed. By agreeing and disagreeing in the right places, there was a much smaller chance that he would be injured, physically or verbally. Plus, she was much cuter when she was pouty then when she was beating him to a pulp.

Just then Kirsten breezed into the kitchen carrying a small suitcase. Leaving it by the door, she headed towards the couch where Seth and Summer were currently seated. "Alright, so you're father and I are leaving in ten minutes. We'll be back on Sunday. No parties. No drugs. No drinking—"

"Wait. What?" Seth interrupted Kirsten. "What are you talking about?"

"You're father and I are going down to San Francisco for the weekend," Kirsten explained.

"Since when," Seth demanded.

"Since two weeks ago when we told you." Seth was about to respond when Ryan walked into the kitchen. "Oh, hey sweetie. Sandy and I were just getting ready to leave."

"Oh right, for, uh, San Francisco."

"Exactly," Kirsten said as she shot Seth a look that clearly said 'see, he knows what I'm talking about'.

"Dude, I did not know about this! How did you know about this?" Seth looked at Ryan.

"Seth, they told us two weeks ago."

"That's what she keeps trying to tell me!" Seth pointed in the direction of his mother.

"Well, whether you remember or not, we're leaving." Kirsten walked over to Ryan and placed her hands on his cheeks before planting a kiss on his forehead. She hugged him quickly and said, "Be good."

"We will," Ryan responded.

"Hey, how come you're not gonna read him the rules?"

"What?" Kirsten looked confused.

"You gave me a whole list of rules about drugs and drinking."

"Oh," Kirsten turned to Ryan and, almost in a mocking tone, said, "No parties, no drugs, no drinking."

"Gotcha," Ryan said before Kirsten kissed him one last time. She walked over to Seth who had stood up from the couch with Summer next to him.

"I'll see you when we get back." She hugged Seth and planted a kiss on his cheek before moving to Summer. Giving her hug, she whispered, "It's nice to see you around again."

"It's nice to be around," Summer whispered back. Kirsten kissed her quickly on her forehead before grabbing her suitcase to put it in the car.

Though it pained Summer to admit it, Kirsten Cohen was the closest thing to a mother she had. After being ditched by her own mother, she had spent a good few years with Julie Cooper as a replacement. Although Julie could be very motherly at times, there were other times when Summer wished she just had someone to talk to. Someone who seemed a little more like a real person and a little less like a Barbie doll.

Immediately after thinking this, Summer realized that Julie wouldn't even make a very good Barbie doll. First off, she had red hair, and second, Barbie was, like, nice.

Finally Summer noticed Seth staring at her with a very odd look on his face. "What?"

"You just, like, hugged my mom. For like ten minutes."

"Okay, first of all, I hugged her for like ten seconds. And second, what's wrong with me hugging your mom?" Summer crossed her arms under her chest and stared at Seth undoubtedly awaiting an answer.

"She's, like, my mom," was the best explanation Seth could come up with.

"Whatever," Summer said, and walked into the kitchen to get some juice. She passed Sandy on her way to the refrigerator.

"Well boys, we're off," Sandy said to Ryan and Seth.

"We'll see ya," Seth said, as his dad gave him a quick, one-armed hug.

"Make sure you keep the house clean," he said, as she moved to hug Ryan. "Kirsten'll have a fit if she comes home to a dirty house."

On his way out the door he passed Summer and gave her a pat on the back and a goodbye. Ryan headed back out the pool house, obviously forgetting what he came in the house for, and Summer joined Seth on the couch.

"So," Seth said. "What do you wanna do?"

Summer straddled him out of the blue and said, "Did your parents really just take off for an entire weekend leaving us alone in the house?"

Seth looked around, almost nervously, and said, "Yes, that appears to be the case."

And then she was crushing her lips to his and Seth's brain could no longer comprehend anything other than the feel of her tongue as her lips moved to his neck. He brought his hands down to her waist as her fingers found the curls at the base of his neck. Things were just getting heated when Ryan, apparently, remembered what it was he needed from the house. The two of them probably wouldn't have even noticed his entrance had he not let out a loud "Whoa!" upon approaching the scene. Immediately Summer pulled herself away from Seth and rolled off of him landing in her previous seat on the couch.

"Hey there, Ryan. What's up," Seth greeted.

"Um, nothing. Just getting my, uh, book," he said as he grabbed a book from the table.

"Yeah, I'm going to go to the bathroom," Summer said, blushing, and quickly excusing herself.

Once she was gone Ryan turned back to Seth and said, "Man, what are you doing?"

"Well, right then, I was making out with Summer. Until you interrupted."

Ryan gave Seth a look, this time meaning 'quit being a smartass and answer the question'.

"Dude, I don't know. She wants to hook up but she doesn't want to be a "couple"." Seth finished with finger quotes.

"Hook up as in, like, second base or hook up as in _home_," Ryan questioned.

"The latter."

Ryan groaned. "Seth, what are you doing to yourself? This is not gonna end good."

"Dude, she's like Summer. How can I not?"

"How long have you guys been hooking up?"

"Um…since like November…"

"This cannot end good," Ryan said, repeating his earlier warning.

"But…what if it did?" Seth looked so hopeful that Ryan couldn't say a whole lot more.

"Fine. But when it blows up in your face don't say I didn't warn you." He left Seth with a final warning and headed back out to the pool house. He was sure to take his book that way there wouldn't be any more unfortunate and embarrassing walk-ins.

Seth sat back on the couch, his head in his hands, and Ryan's words ringing in his head. He didn't notice Summer's presence in the room until he felt the couch shift with her weight. He didn't move from his position as she gently rested her head on his shoulder, looping her arm through his.

A few moments of silence passed before Seth spoke. "Maybe he was right."

"Maybe who was right?"

"Ryan." Seth finally picked his head up out of his hands and looked at Summer.

"About…?"

"Maybe…we should, you know, stop hooking up." Seth was really hoping that Summer would give some convincing speech about why Ryan was wrong for saying that because Seth desperately wanted someone to encourage to him to keep hooking up with Summer, even if that person was, in fact, Summer.

"Look Cohen, Ryan doesn't know what he's talking about." Thank you, Summer. "He used to have one night stands all the time and now he's just jealous that you're getting laid all the time and he isn't. There's nothing wrong with what we're doing, therefore, we have no reason to stop. No matter what Chino says." She planted a quick kiss on his lips before he lifted up his arm so that she could curl into him. She laid her head against his chest and he kissed the top of her hair as she played with the fingers on the hand that wasn't currently resting on her bare skin beneath her t-shirt.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"You are so right," Seth said, a small smile appearing on his face. "He's just jealous."

* * *

"You know what I was thinking?" Summer looked at Seth from her place where she was leaning against the island counter.

"What?"

"You're parents never said no girls. And they left me here alone. With you. Most likely because they think we're sexually inactive but that's beside the point. I could technically stay here the whole weekend and it we wouldn't be breaking any rules."

"Except for the no sex in the house rule," Seth pointed out.

"Yeah but we already broke that one, like, a million times so it doesn't matter." Summer brushed it off with a wave of her hand.

"Good point."

"So then it's settled," Summer stated.

"Yes, and let's celebrate with a glass of bubbly," Seth said.

"Okay, only that would be a breaking a rule," Summer told him.

Seth gasped and put a hand to his chest in mock astonishment. "Summer Roberts, not wanting to break the rules?" He put a hand to her forehead, and said, "Are you feeling alright?"

Summer pushed his hand away, and said, "I'm feeling fine, Cohen. Now, how about that champagne?"

A few glasses of champagne later and Seth and Summer were just a little giggly. They were in the kitchen still, holding a discussion about talking like a pirate, of all things.

"No, I'm not even kidding you, Summer. It's September nineteenth. Look it up if you don't believe me."

"You're telling me that there is an entire day devoted to talking like a pirate?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." Summer appeared to be pondering the thought.

"I tried to get Ryan to do it this year but he wouldn't."

"Where is Ryan? I haven't seen him around for, like, hours." Summer moved from her spot and looked out the kitchen window as if she was expecting him to appear there.

"I don't know. Brooding in the pool house probably."

"Let's go find him," Summer said as she grabbed Seth's hand and began walking backwards towards the double doors leading out to the pool.

"Why?" Seth couldn't figure out why, when they had the entire house to themselves, she would want to go find Ryan. However, Seth set his champagne flute on the counter and followed her.

"We can scare him. It'll be funny as hell," Summer said, leading him out the door.

They crept up to the pool house and just as they were a few steps away from the door, Seth whispered, "What are we gonna do?"

Summer stopped mid-step and looked at him. "We should have though of that before we came out here," she whispered back. "Alright, follow me." She led him behind one of the nearby bushes and sat on the ground Indian style.

Seth sat across from her in an identical position as they both quietly thought out a plan. "Got it!" Seth used one of those whispered yells to express his excitement.

Summer hit him quickly on the arm, and said, "Shut up," using the same type of voice as Seth did. She was a bit of a hypocrite. "What's your plan?"

"We tiptoe up to the pool house and then we barge in!"

"Good idea!" They slapped high fives and were preparing to get up when Summer put a hand on Seth's shoulder. "Wait. What if Chino's, like, changing?"

"Right. That's not gonna work."

They thought for a minute longer before Seth said, "Alright, so we tiptoe up to the pool house and then I barge in and you wait outside and if he's dressed then you can barge in and if he's not then we'll run away." Seth waited for Summer's approval.

"That is, quite possibly, the _worst_ plan I have ever heard."

"You know what, Summer…"

"What?"

"I don't know. I give up. Why don't we just go knock on the door?"

"Fine," Summer said, standing up in a snit. "But it so won't be funny anymore."

"Maybe if we knock really loud?"

Summer didn't answer, instead just pushing Seth out from behind the bush that was currently serving as their hiding spot and towards the pool house door. Upon arrival, Seth knocked on the door very loudly and suddenly. A small scream was produced from inside the pool house.

Seth wasn't sure if it was the fact that their plan of scaring Ryan had worked or if it was the fact that the scream was so damn girly but he was cracking up. He figured it was the latter and, rightfully assumed that was why Summer was practically rolling on the ground laughing. The door to the pool house opened and Ryan stood there looking just a little pissed. Seth knew that what he and Summer had done was completely childish and stupid but Summer was right: it was funny as hell.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We…um…we just…" Seth struggled to find an excuse as to why he and Summer had so violently knocked on his door at 11:30 at night. "We just wondered what you were up to…"

Summer finally managed to get her laughter under control and stood upright, looking at Ryan with an obviously strained face.

"I _was_ trying to sleep." Ryan was undoubtedly annoyed.

"Right. So we're just going to go. Later." They turned away from the pool house and began to head back into the house when Ryan called his name.

"What," Seth asked, turning back around.

"Are you drunk?"

"No…" Seth exchanged a look with Summer and he couldn't hold it in. He started cracking up all over again, Summer next to him, doing the same thing.

"You guys are so screwed up. Go to bed." With that, Ryan shut the door to the pool house.

Instead of going inside, Summer walked over to the edge of the pool where she sat down, rolled up her jeans, and hung her legs in. Seth came up behind her and acted as if he was gonna push her in. "Seth Cohen, I swear to God if you push me in this pool I will hurt you. Like seriously, seriously badly."

"Oh yeah? How badly?"

"Well, there would be a plastic knife involved. Oh, and you probably wouldn't be able to have children."

Although he knew she could be being perfectly serious, the opportunity to push her into a pool did not arise too often. Surprising considering they lived in California.

He lifted her off the cement just high enough for him to throw her into the pool. She resurfaced, mad as hell, and ready to kick his ass. She made her way out of the pool before Seth realized it would have been smart to run. After shoving him in the chest a few good times, she grabbed his arm and yanked him into the pool. He didn't let go of her, though, thus sending the both of them toppling into the pool. She grabbed his head and dunked him and didn't let him up until he started tickling her under the water. She kicked him hard one last time before stepping out of the pool once again. Seth followed suit and if the entire situation hadn't been completely laughable, she would have continued glaring at him.

But he gave her a goofy smile and she couldn't stay mad at him anymore. Even if he did just ruin a pair of$117 dollar jeans.

"Well, that was refreshing," he said.

"Let's go skinny dipping," Summer said suddenly.

"Summer, no."

"Come on, Cohen. Don't tell me you've never been skinny dipping before."

"No and I don't plan to."

"Fine. Then I'll just go by myself," she said and stripped her soaking wet top over her head. Seth watched as she unbuttoned her jeans and tossed them next to the top. She unsnapped her bra and peeled it off before saying, "Suit yourself." She then turned her back to him and removed her underwear before diving into the pool.

"A little cold in there Summer?"

"God, you're so perverted," she called from the middle of the pool.

"Not perverted, Summer. Just observant," he said, the goofy smile back on his face.

After Summer swam around a few times, Seth couldn't resist. He stripped off all of his wet clothes, tossing them in a pile next to Summer's, and jumped into the pool. "I knew you'd join me eventually," she said as she swam up to him.

"I couldn't resist."

Summer kissed him quickly and then swam to the deep end of the pool, the side closer to the pool house, and motioned for Seth to follow. He obeyed, of course, and swam up next to her. As soon as he stopped, Summer grabbed his face and kissed him. She had her back to the pool wall and he was pressed up against her with his side to the pool. Their tongues met as Seth's hands found Summer's waist. Seth wondered what his parents were doing at that moment and then quickly wondered why the hell he cared when Summer's naked, wet body was pressed against his. His hand moved from her neck, below the level of water, feeling the slipperiness of her skin beneath his palm. Her thighs were just as slippery as the rest of her skin and his fingers traced slow, lazy circles on them. He moved to kiss her neck as her fingers went to his sopping wet hair.

Seth knew that Ryan was in the pool house a mere, 25 feet away but he couldn't bring himself to care. He and Summer were finally together again…well, sort of. Whatever they were now was good enough for him. Because whatever got him this close to a naked Summer Roberts, the girl he had admired since he was ten, be it some strange turn of events, was powerful. She was beautiful and perfect and deserved a kind of worshipping that even if he couldn't give it her, he was sure as hell gonna try. Because she was just that damn special.

He traced his fingers along the inner edge of her thigh, delighting in the way her breathing hitched on its own accord. He teased her like that for a while, simply because it was faintly amusing. If not for the fear that she would seriously hurt him if he didn't actually do something soon, he might have continued.

She emitted a small moan when he finally slipped two fingers inside of her. She had a solid hold on his hair and put it to good use as she yanked his lips back up to meet hers. Their tongues met as he continued to work her. Fingering Summer in a pool was an entirely different experience than fingering Summer on his bed. Or the couch. Or her bed.

There was something satisfying about knowing that he was the first guy who had been here; the first guy that she had let get this close. The fact that she chose _him_ to give her virginity to was…flattering. It was like he had marked her or something, and no matter what anyone else did, they can't change the fact that she was his first. And maybe that's the reason why he didn't let the incident with Zach bother him too much. Or maybe it was the fact that he wouldn't let himself think about it.

And especially not now because Summer was getting close. He kept working her as he swallowed the series of quiet whimpers she uttered into his mouth. She was tugging on his hair awfully hard now but he didn't give a damn because she was about to come. He slid his fingers in and out one more time before she pulled back, cursed, and came. She tried to control her breathing as his hand moved to her neck and then her waist. Her face was flushed as she turned to him. "Whoa."

Whoa was right.

**Reading over it, I realize it got a little raunchy in there but I warned you guys so I'm not gonna change the rating or anything like that. Leave a review! **


	6. NYC and Silent Declarations of Love

**A/N: Well, we know now that Marissa has been hooking up with the yard guy all summer so maybe we'll just pretend that Marissa lied when she said they kissed back in chapter 2 and they really have been hooking up all summer. She just didn't want to tell Summer everything. Make sense? Also, I'm gonna use a scene from the next episodes and pretend that Julie already walked in on them.**

NYC and Silent Declarations of Love 

"He bought you a kitten?" Marissa raised her eyebrows in question.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Summer poked her head out of Marissa's closet, which she was currently rifling through in the search of clothes.

"No, not at all." Marissa paused for a beat. "It's just…"

"It's just what?" Summer walked out of the closet now, a blue tank top in her hand. "Can I try this on," she asked, pulling it over her head.

"Yeah. But I'm just saying that you guys are like…" Marissa thought a minute. "What are you guys?"

"We're…" Not boyfriend/girlfriend but more than _just_ friends. "…hooking up…" Summer said, almost hesitantly.

"What?!" Marissa's voice was almost a shriek. "Since when?" Marissa was sitting up very straight on the bed, looking at Summer in her mirror, waiting for her to spill all the juicy details.

"Um…November maybe?"

"Oh my gosh, Sum, this has been going on for like a month a half and you didn't tell me?"

"Hey, you didn't tell me about your little fling with the yard guy," Summer reminded her.

"We couldn't tell anyone. I already explained that." Marissa looked down at her hands before saying, "But it's not like that matters. My mom knows now anyway."

"What? How?" Summer spun around to face the real Marissa versus the mirror-Marissa.

"She kind of…walked in. On us. On each other."

"What did she say?"

"Well after she expressed her extreme distaste for anyone lower than her, she talked to me about firing him because she didn't want her daughter dating her own pool boy. Then I yelled and she yelled and finally said she wouldn't fire him. I think she doesn't want to piss me off more than she already has."

"Damn. Romeo and Juliet isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Sum? That's not Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet's families were longstanding enemies and that's why they couldn't be together. Not because Romeo was the yard guy."

"Well whatever. I have a C in English anyway."

"Way to go," Marissa said, as Summer got up off the bed and peeled the shirt over her head. "So, let's get back to you and Cohen."

Summer disappeared into the closet. "I don't know what you're talking about, Coop."

"Oh come on," Marissa said. "You can't drop something like that and then just refuse to talk about it."

"Sure I can," Summer said, reappearing with another shirt, this time green. "Can I try this one on?"

"No. Not until you tell me everything."

Summer hadn't really told anyone what was going on with her and Cohen, obviously. In fact, she kind of wanted to dish out all the details to Marissa; to pretend like they were in middle school again and gossip about boys and clothes. Summer crossed the room and sat on Marissa's bed folding the shirt in her lap.

"Well, do you remember at the Black and White party when me and Cohen left early?"

"Yeah…" Marissa was listening attentively.

"We went back to his house and…" Summer paused and Marissa interrupted.

"Oh. My. God." She said each word like a separate sentence. "I totally knew you guys were going somewhere to get it on! I even said that to Lindsay. Hmph." Marissa appeared to be pondering the thought.

"Yeah, but I'm not done."

Marissa didn't even hear that last thought because she burst out with, "Wait! You were still going with Zach at the Black and White party. Slut!" She started giggling and covered her mouth in an attempt to hide it.

"Exactly," Summer said. "But you see, I wasn't going with Zach at the time me and Cohen…fucked."

Marissa's eyes widened at Summer's blunt language but she didn't say anything. She was used to Summer's straightforward openness by now.

"See, Cohen, Zach and I were the only ones who even knew that me and Zach broke up. If you could even call it that because it was only for, like, a day."

"You and Zach broke up? Why?"

"I don't know. There was a thing with drinks and Cohen and it was really confusing. But I was really upset. And he was there. We were, like, in that tiny bathroom that was in the hotel room and he gave me a hug. So then I looked at him and we kissed. And we were making out in the bathroom and I couldn't think about anything except that I wanted him so we went to his house and that's how it happened the first time."

"But then you and Zach got together again," Marissa said.

"When I woke up in Cohen's bed, I thought I had made a mistake. And so I got out of there as fast as I could and I avoided Cohen for, like, three days. It was super bitchy, I know, and it was killing me to treat him like that but I didn't know what else to do. I had to clear my head. Besides, three days is nothing compared to three months." Marissa knew Summer was referencing Seth's trip to Portland. "And Zach called and he was sorry so I was like okay because I was supposed to be with Zach. Because I couldn't…trust Cohen yet."

"Trust him how," Marissa asked.

"Trust him…not to leave again." Summer's story was starting to take a on a depressing undertone. Marissa placed her hand on Summer's back and began to rub small circles. "Then he kissed that girl and I was really mad. And when I woke up in Zach's bed, I _knew_ I had made a mistake."

"You slept with Zach?" Marissa was clearly shocked.

Summer nodded her head glumly. "I went to Cohen's house even though it was like three in the morning and he took me inside. So then we talked some stuff over and then we fell asleep."

"Does Seth know you slept with him?"

Summer nodded again. "But he was cool about it. And so then we just started…having sex."

"Wow," said Marissa.

"Yeah."

The girls sat there in silence for a minute before Marissa said, "So, what's the cat's name?"

* * *

The sand squished beneath Summer's toes and she took comfort in the familiarity of California. She had walked this stretch of beach a million times, sometimes with Marissa, sometimes alone, and sometimes with Seth.

This time she was alone, and she didn't mind. She walked closer to the water, feeling it rush over her feet. The sun was setting and there wasn't anyone on the beach at this time of the day; everyone had gone home for the evening. She was thinking about heading back and turned to make her way back up the beach. She stopped though, when she saw a figure standing about fifteen feet away, watching her.

Smiling, she said, "How'd you know I was here?"

The person walked closer until he was standing in front of her. "Lucky guess," he said, before leaning down and kissing her. Seth pulled his hands out of his pockets to encircle her waist as her own hands went for his neck. She pulled him closer, nuzzling her face into his chest as his hands rested on her lower back.

"Really though, how did you know I was here?" Summer's words were muffled considering she hadn't yet taken her face out of his chest, but Seth could understand her.

"I stopped over at your house. Your step-mom told me that you went to the beach."

"Ah yes, the step-monster," Summer said, as she pulled away from him. She took his hand and they started to walk down the beach. They walked in silence as the sun finally disappeared underneath the ocean and the air took on a subtle chill. It had barely dipped below seventy-five degrees, but in her peach colored boy tank, Summer shivered a little.

"Here," Seth said, as he took off his track jacket and offered it to her. Summer smiled and accepted the coat. She knew that no matter how much Seth enjoyed watching certain parts on her body harden, he'd give her his jacket before seeing her freeze. Seth lifted his arm and Summer slid underneath, settling herself in the spot where she always fit perfectly.

Seth Cohen was quite possibly the best thing that had ever happened to Summer. And to think, she never would have known it had some kid in Chino had the guts to stand up to his brother. Thank god he didn't. Because now, Summer couldn't imagine not knowing Seth. He was such a big part of her life that she didn't even want to think about where she would be without him. He knew her ridiculously well; like, literally, inside and out. He even knew the little things like that she always ordered a chocolate milkshake when she went to McDonald's but vanilla everywhere else. He knew just what to say, or not say, to make her feel okay. He knew just where and how to touch her to make her go insane.

Speaking of which, he was doing that thing where he would put his fingers just under the hem of her shirt and his fingers would dance on the bare skin there. That always drove her crazy and he knew it. Now she just wanted to kiss him so she stopped walking and he followed suit. Turning to him she leaned up just far enough to brush a kiss on his lips. Pulling back a fraction of an inch she looked at him before he leaned back down for another kiss, deeper this time. She lightly opened his lips with her tongue all the while his fingers still tracing mindless designs on her bare skin.

Pulling back she licked her lips and gave him a sweet smile. "You really are a good kisser," she half spoke, half whispered.

"I try," he said.

"Let's sit," she said, as she led him towards the dryer part of the sand. Dropping her heels on the sand next to her, she sat down with Seth beside her. They looked at the ocean for a while before Summer lay down on her back. Seth laid next to her and they looked up at the sky that was now filled with stars.

She and Seth had done this a million times. One of the benefits of living on the coast of California was unlimited beach access, which Seth and Summer liked to take advantage of. On the weekends, when most of Summer's old "friends" were heading out to beach houses for this week's hottest party, she and Seth would come and sit on the deserted beach. She figured this was part of the reason Seth knew so much about her. They could sit and talk for hours, often times, not leaving until one in the morning. She knew Seth almost always got yelled at for it when he got home but, still, he'd sit on the beach with her until crazy hours of the morning because he loved her that much.

Yes, he loved her. She knew he loved her, not just because he told her, but he showed her too. And every time he said it, she knew it was true. When they were dating, he used to say it all the time. Now though, it's not as common. Sometimes, he'll let it slip by accident and other times, he'll know that she needs to hear it. He doesn't tell her too often though, because he thinks it will start to freak her out. Not to mention that they aren't exactly a couple.

She had said it to him before. Back when they were together. And then he left. So she doesn't say it anymore. She feels bad, because she knows that he doubts whether or not he loves her, but she can't say it. She's too afraid that if she says it; if she lets herself believe it, he might leave again. So for now, she just keeps her mouth shut.

She felt Seth lace his fingers through hers and she smiled. After a few moments, he said, "I know we didn't talk about it a lot before…I left but, uh, I got a letter the other day."

"Letter? What kind of letter?" Seth was taking on a serious tone, which he never did unless, of course, he wanted to talk about something serious.

"College," was all Seth said.

"Oh, right."

Towards the end of junior year, the four of them hadn't talked about college a lot. There was a whole lot of drama going on and Ryan hadn't even applied anywhere. Seth had no clue what was going on with Marissa. He knew that Summer's father wanted her to stay close to home. UCLA or USC…something like that. He had applied to some colleges, a few of them being in New York. He thought it would be pretty cool to go to school there. Every time he tried to bring it up though, Summer would tell him that she didn't want to talk about. She'd say it was just going to depress them to start talking about college now. However, he applied to a few California colleges, the same ones Summer was going to, just in case.

"I got accepted to NYU." Seth spoke slowly, waiting for Summer's reaction.

Silence swallowed up the air around them as Summer tried to make her brain work. She had always known that they would have to have this conversation but, somehow, it had snuck up on her. It had just come too soon and she wanted to backtrack about ten minutes in their conversation.

"Oh, that's…that's great." She tried her best to sound happy for him when inside of her everything was shutting down.

"Yeah," he said.

"So, are you…gonna go?" She really did not want to hear the answer to her question and hoped that maybe the sand beneath her would open up and swallow her so that she wouldn't have to.

"I'm not sure," he said, and Summer breathed a little sigh of relief, hoping upon all hope, that he would decide not to go. She knew it was selfish of her to wish that and that she should want what's best for him but she couldn't help but want him to stay. She didn't want him to leave her. Again.

"Well, that's cool," she said.

"Yeah." His voice was quiet and seemed just a little unsure.

Summer knew that Seth had applied to some of the schools she had, but she also knew he had done it just to make her happy. She, herself, hadn't received any acceptance letters yet, but now, there was less reason to hope for them. Maybe, if she got rejected, she could convince her father to let her go to New York with Seth.

Or maybe that was a completely unrealistic idea.

She rolled onto her side, scooting as close to Seth as possible, not even caring that she was getting sand all over her clothes. She rested her head on his chest, finding the spot where she could hear his heart beat. He had moved his arm so that she was laying on it and she knew it must be going numb but she also knew that he didn't care. She placed her hand on his chest as his free hand went to her hair.

They laid like that for a really long time. They didn't speak and Summer tried to push all thoughts of college and New York to the back of her mind. His fingers played in her hair as she fought with the tears at the corners of her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying. It wasn't even like he had accepted or anything. She was just scared of…of losing him. It's not like he was her boyfriend, where then she might have some sort of say as to how he spent his future. No, they were friends, so she had none. Her tears won out in the end, and a few spilled over, rolling silently down her face.

She had no idea how he knew, considering his face was turned up to the sky and hers was turned away from his, but somehow he knew. His hand moved from her hair and gently wiped at the few tears trickling sideways across her face. He didn't say anything, didn't ask why she was crying, and didn't tell her that it would be okay.

He just sat up, taking her with him, and pulled her into to him. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest. More tears leaked out and she tried desperately to stop them. She felt foolish for crying because he hadn't even made his decision yet, so she used everything she could to make them stop. He kissed the top her head and rubbed her back. With her face still in his chest, she breathed in, taking in his familiar smell. She wanted to remember that smell, just in case.

"Baby, let's go home," he whispered in her ear.

He hadn't ever called her baby before; no guy had. Sure they had called her things like babe and honey but she hated those. Now though, she decided that baby was kind of nice.

"Okay," she said as she let him pull her up into a standing position. Keeping his arm wrapped tight around her, he led them away from the beach and towards his car.

She knew he wouldn't bother her about why she was crying. He wouldn't bring it up; he'd just let her deal with it on her own time and if she wanted to talk about it, he would be there. In fact, she was sure he knew why she was crying which made her feel bad because that probably made him feel like shit. So that's why she was going to put on a smile and be happy. Because she loved him.

Even if she wouldn't say it out loud.

**Okay, I'm really not sure about the way this chapter came out but oh well. And I know everybody uses New York in their fics for picking colleges and I am going to follow suit. I'm just too lazy to try and think up something else and I think that Seth would be most likely to do the New York thing. **


	7. Necklaces and Nordstrom

**A/N: So did anyone else notice that in the first season, the only birthday that was celebrated was Summer's? Yeah, it kind of bugged me. But maybe that was just me cause I'm like that. Oh well. They used Rachel Bilson's real birthday (August 25) so for the birthdays in my story, I'm using all of their real birthdays just cause I can do that. I gotta explain though first: Ryan was born on September 12 and we're going to pretend that he turned seventeen in the first season (even though it was said that he was sixteen) so now, he's eighteen. Marissa was born on the 24 of January so we'll say she turned seventeen about midway through season one. She will be turning eighteen shortly in my story. They never really told us what age Summer was turning in The Model Home (did they?) but we're gonna say it was sixteen. We'll pretend that she was born a year later than her friends because I don't want her older than Seth. So she turned seventeen back in August. Now Seth was born December 15 and we're gonna say he turned seventeen then so this year he's turning eighteen. Aww, my little babies are growing up! Most of them are legal now! (sniffle…)**

Necklaces and Nordstrom

Seth's hand slid up her thigh and she could feel his breath by her ear. His tongue licked at her earlobe as she ran one hand up the back of his t-shirt. Tilting her head so he had better access, she moved her other hand to his belt buckle. She got it undone and was just about to move on to his button when she heard Seth curse.

"Shit," he said as he rolled off of her. She sat up immediately and adjusted her shirt as Kirsten Cohen walked through the door.

Either Summer hadn't heard the knock or there wasn't one. The latter was just as likely as the first considering this was the Cohen household and they seemed to have a grudge against knocking. It was either that, or they had very little trust in their kids and figured if they knew their parents would walk in without warning that they were, somehow, less likely to do bad stuff like smoke or weed, or say, have sex. Although, the unexpected appearances of their parents may have stopped the boys from smoking weed, it had never stopped them from having sex in the house. She and Marissa used to sneak over here all the time late at night. Then Marissa would disappear to the pool house and Summer to Seth's bedroom. Times were different now, though.

"Hey guys," Kirsten said, completely unsuspecting. She had armful of clean laundry and Summer wondered if it was just an excuse to barge in on them or if she really just wanted to bring him his laundry. She set it down on the bed before saying, "Seth, please, please put your laundry away. Tonight."

"Yes ma'm," he responded as he actually saluted his mother.

"Seth, I'm serious. I'm sick of bringing you laundry just to find it still sitting here two weeks later."

"Mom, I'll put it away," he said in a tone that clearly meant 'get the hell out of room so me and Summer can get our freak on'. Okay, maybe the part about freaking wasn't exactly evident but the 'get the hell out' part was.

"I'm so glad I give you everything you want. Considering your love for me is so obviously incontestable."

"I love you mom," Seth said sardonically.

"Don't be mean to your mother," Summer said, speaking up for the first time since Kirsten's entrance. "She brought you into this world."

"You're darn right I did," Kirsten said.

"Why don't we all just gang up on me now."

"Summer, make sure he puts that laundry away," Kirsten said, completely ignoring her son.

"I will," Summer responded.

"Thanks," she said as she headed for the door. "Bye guys." The door clicked shut behind her and Seth breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Dude, I was sitting here the entire time with my belt buckle undone!"

Summer laughed. "Thank god she didn't notice."

"Yeah. I mean, how would I even _start_ to explain that to my mother?"

Summer crawled across the bed and straddled Seth's lap. "You know, I'm surprised she isn't suspicious yet. Not about your belt buckle," Summer's face was just a fraction of an inch away from Seth's and she could feel his breath again, "but about the fact that we spend all this time alone," she accented the word with a soft kiss to his lips. "Considering the fact that you're parents think we're just friends. What do they think we do up here?" Summer pushed Seth gently so that he fell back on the bed and she kissed him from her new position.

"I've often wondered that myself," Seth said, slipping a hand under the hem of her shirt.

They continued making out until Summer pulled away abruptly and sat up. "What? What are you doing," Seth asked, exasperated about having his make-out session interrupted for the second time that night.

"Do you know what tomorrow is?"

Seth looked confused before answering. "The last day of Hanukkah?"

"Okay…and…?"

Seth thought a while more before a small smile spread across his face. "My birthday," he said slowly.

"Exactly." Summer leaned back down and kissed him, at the same time finishing the task of unzipping his pants. "I have an early present for you," she said and he smiled against her lips as he felt her hand slip underneath the elastic of his boxers.

"I'm excited," he said, barely concealing a moan while his lips still hardly touched hers.

"I know. I can tell." She giggled before kissing him again.

* * *

Seth could feel someone watching him before he had opened his eyes. It was just one of those things. "This is definitely creepy," he said to Summer who was sitting next to him on his bed.

"Morning sunshine."

"Okay, can I ask why you were watching me sleep?" Seth sat up on his elbows.

When he woke up with Summer in his bedroom, it was never a good thing. Unless, of course, she had fallen asleep there the night before. In this case, she had not. The scene around him was strangely familiar and he was reminded of the last time he had woken up to Summer watching him. She had insisted she had a brilliant idea and dragged him all the way to her house, skipping out on school, to watch the entire first season of The Valley on DVD before the season two premiere aired that night. "The boxed set, not the shit they sell on ebay" she had informed him, like it made a difference.

So yeah, Summer and brilliant ideas? Nope, no way.

"Happy birthday," was her only explanation as she leaned down to kiss him. "Now get up!" She jumped up off the bed in a mood way to chipper for seven in the morning.

"Summer, why are you here?"

"Well, it's nice to see you too Seth." Summer walked over to Seth's closet and pulled open the door. Then, she prepared to pick him out an outfit for the day. "Since you're not going to do it, I might as well," she said.

"Who let in you in?" Seth continued with his questioning, ignoring the fact that the way he was asking them might, indeed, be rude. It was just Summer after all.

"Your mother," she said pointedly. She made her way back to the bed with a random dark blue t-shirt with some weird band on it, which she tossed onto the bed. She then proceeded to his dresser where she rummaged freely through the drawers before a pair of suitable brown cords surfaced. Grabbing them, she tossed them unceremoniously on the bed next to the t-shirt. "Get dressed. We have to leave."

"For school?" Seth stripped back his covers and stepped out the bed dressed in boxers and t-shirt.

"Yes," Summer said, flashing him a mischievous smile before heading for the door. "I'll be downstairs."

Seth didn't believe Summer. Not a single word. There was no way they were going to school when she answered like that. And that smile. Nope, she had something planned. Plus, since when did she come to pick him up for school? His house was completely out of the way for her. Birthday or no birthday, she wouldn't drive the extra distance just to pick him up. She didn't like driving. And quite frankly, she wasn't very good. Driving with her, he often wondered how in the hell she got her license in the first place.

Seth dressed and met Summer downstairs like he was commanded. When he walked into the kitchen Ryan was sitting at the island counter eating his cereal out of the box. Sandy was preparing a bagel at the counter and Summer was chatting away with Kirsten like they were lifelong friends. Weird.

"Hey birthday boy," Kirsten said when she noticed the appearance of her son.

"Mom, I'm turning eighteen, not eight," he told her.

"Don't remind me," Kirsten said as she crossed the kitchen to place a kiss on her son's forehead. "Now, both of my boys are all grown up," she said, referring to Ryan's eighteenth birthday that had been celebrated back in September, shortly after he had come home. Kirsten actually looked a little teary as her gaze switched from Seth to Ryan and back again.

"Please do not start crying, mom."

"I'm not crying," Kirsten said, shooting Seth a look. "I'm merely reflecting."

"Yeah, okay."

"Well Seth, we should get going," Summer said. Her tone was subtly urgent, if that was possible. Whatever. Seth knew she meant they were leaving _now_. "Coming Ryan?"

"Huh?" Ryan looked up from his cereal box for the first time. "Oh no, Lindsay's coming for me. Thanks though."

"Really?" Summer raised her eyebrows at him. He gave her a look and she just turned away. "Thanks for breakfast Kirsten."

"Any time, sweetie." And then Summer actually hugged his mom. Okay, when his mother was leaving for an entire weekend that was acceptable but now, Summer was on her way to school. She would most likely be back here after school anyway. And if not, it would only be a matter of, like, twenty-four hours before she saw her again. The unnecessary hugging was starting to freak him out just a little.

"Bye Sandy," Summer said pleasantly as she passed him on her way to the doorway. "Let's go."

"Well, I guess I'm going," Seth said, wondering how he hadn't even managed to step into the kitchen, let alone eat breakfast.

"Later Seth," Ryan said. "And happy birthday."

"Thanks," Seth mumbled as he was dragged out the door by Summer.

Once they were finally strapped into Summer's silver BMW and on their way down the drive, Seth asked, "Would you please tell me what's really going on?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She flashed him an innocent smile that was anything but and placed a hand on his thigh.

Seth sighed, giving up on finding out what the hell she had up her sleeve and instead dug into his bookbag for a good CD to listen too. Pulling out Bright Eyes, he popped it into her player. Summer's hand slid a little further up his thigh and she said, "It's a good thing it's your birthday."

"Why?"

"Cause if it weren't, I would make you turn that off." Summer turned her eyes back to the road and Seth wished she would quit taking them _off _the road. Driving with Summer was always…interesting.

They had definitely passed the school but Seth didn't bother to ask. He had known from the moment he saw her watching him that they were going to school this morning. He was just a little curious as to where they _were_ going but he didn't ask. One, because he didn't want Summer to look at him instead of the road. Two, because she wouldn't have answered him anyway.

He finally found out when they pulled into the parking lot of South Coast Plaza. "Summer, please don't tell me that you kidnapped me from my own home—"

"Oh my god, you totally came willingly," she cut him off.

"—just to take me on a shopping spree with you," he finished. "No offense but I'm not in the mood to carry your shit today."

"First of all, you're never in the mood to carry my shit. And second, calm down. For your information, _I _will not be shopping." Summer undid her seatbelt and stepped out of the car as Seth did the same. "This is your shopping spree. You get to get whatever you want and I'll pay for everything."

"Summer, I can't do that."

"Why not?" She headed for the entrance leaving Seth to catch up.

"Because, it's, like, too much. I mean, I wasn't even here for your birthday this year," he said, hoping it wasn't the wrong time to remind her of his "vacation" as she liked to refer to it.

She stopped walking and got real quiet as she shrugged and said, "I know. But I just…thought it would be nice, you know?"

"And it is nice. I just don't like taking your money." He put a hand on her shoulder in a gesture he hoped would be comforting.

"But it's a present," she said, her lower lip just barely starting to protrude from her upper one.

And so Seth accepted because she could just do that to him. She smiled at him and grabbed his hand as they walked inside. This surprised Seth considering they weren't touchy-feely when they were out together. They hadn't exactly been touchy-feely when they were dating either, but at least then it was logical. Now, it was just…not logical. But of course, this entire situation lacked a lot of logic anyway.

Strolling through Nordstrom, she was still holding his hand. "You'd wear this, wouldn't you?" She held up a pinkish-looking long sleeved button down.

He shrugged and nodded in response.

"It's pink. Get excited," she told him.

"I am excited," he said in a tone that told her he really wasn't.

Stepping closer so she could see him better, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Summer. Really."

"Are you sure? You look wrong to me," she said.

"I look _wrong_? Is that, like, even right?"

"Well, whatever. Are you sure nothing's bothering you?"

"Yes, Summer. I'm sure," he promised.

"Good," she said and turned back to the rack of shirts she had been shuffling through.

Truth be told, nothing was bothering him. Shopping just didn't excite him quite as much as it did Summer. Sure, he liked getting clothes and everything but he couldn't just run around the mall spending money in every store like she did. At least, he couldn't when the money he was spending was someone other than his mother's. He would have been perfectly content with curling up on the couch with her as his present.

"Seth, what colors are your solid polos?"

"Hmm?"

Summer was flipping through a rack of Lacoste polos and looking just a touch exasperated. "Your solid colored polos, what colors do you already have?"

Seth wondered how he was supposed to remember something like that without having his closet in front of him but he tried anyway. "Um, white, and maybe, like, blue?"

She pulled a royal blue one off the rack and held it up. "Like?"

"Summer, I have a blue one," he said.

"No, you have a black one." Apparently, she knew what was in his closet better than he did.

"Okay, then yes I like it."

She reached back into the rack pulling out a green one. "We're getting this one too."

"Whatever you say." It was much easier to let her do the shopping for him. Even if she did buy him some stuff he probably wouldn't wear. Because she still bought him stuff he would wear, like the polos. But he just knew that she was going to drag him into Abercrombie and buy a _whole bunch_ of shit he will never wear.

They passed a rack of Chip and Pepper jeans and Seth could tell Summer was itching to look at them. She would tell him that she couldn't help it, that there was an imaginary string pulling her to it, and so in an effort to stop unnecessary babbling, he walked her over there.

"No, no, no. This is your shopping trip," she said, shaking her head.

"Summer, go ahead and look."

"Fine. But I'm just looking."

Well, "I'm just looking" turned into "I'm just gonna get this one thing" which turned into "I'm just going to get these few things". Then, at every store they went into after that, she was "just looking" which started the whole process over again. By the time they were at the last store, Summer had just as much, if not more, than Seth.

He would never understand girls and their clothes.

"I'm gonna go check out. Wait here, okay?" Summer handed Seth her bags and took the armload of clothes he had, adding it to hers, and headed for the nearest check-out.

The girl at the register rang up the clothes. She was a friendly girl, commenting on how adorable Summer's clothes were. Then she came to the guys clothes at the bottom of the pile. She looked across at where Seth was waiting, and as she scanned the items she asked, "So, are these for you boyfriend?"

Okay, first of all, who asks that? Second, what was she supposed to say? "Oh, no. He's not my boyfriend."

"This seems like an awful lot of money to be spending on a friend." The girl pulled the receipt from the machine and it set it down, along with a pen, on the counter.

Summer decided that this girl definitely talked _way_ too much. "He's a really good friend."

"Oh, I see," the girl said, even though she clearly didn't. "Well, have a nice day."

Summer thanked the girl, grabbed the bags off the counter, and made her way over to where Seth was standing. "Ready?"

He nodded and she took his free hand. More so because she wanted to confuse the salesgirl, whom she knew was watching, as opposed to actually wanting to hold his hand. But holding his hand was still kind of nice.

They passed a few display cases and Summer stopped to look. Her eyes were focused on a tiny sterling silver heart necklace. It was hung on a silver chain with tiny white diamond embedded in the center. She pointed at it and Seth nodded.

"Look at that one," she said.

"Yeah, more importantly, look at the price." Seth pointed to the $395 dollar price tag that was set in front of it.

"Well, it's still nice to look at."

"Three hundred and ninety-five dollars worth of nice," Seth mumbled as they walked out of the store and into the center part.

"Question," Seth said.

"Yes?" For once, Summer didn't take her eyes off the road.

"We have, like, two hours to kill before school gets out."

If Summer noticed that this wasn't actually a question, she didn't say so. She just smiled again and said, "I know."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"We could go back to my house and watch the first season of The Valley again."

"Tempting as that offer is, Summer, I'm going to have to pass," he said.

"Well, we could go back to my house and do something else," she said seductively as she leaned across the center console and kissed him. He thanked god that they were stopped at a light but didn't doubt that she would have done that even if they were going. A horn honked and they pulled away to see that the light was green. "Fuck off!" Summer yelled as she flung her middle finger up in the air and hit the gas. Yeah, she had a bad case of road rage.

And Seth couldn't help but smile at her.

**A/N: Took me awhile to get that chapter out and I'm still not sure if I like it. Leave me a review!**


	8. Pink Tints

**A/N: Wow, I think this might be the first time my author's note doesn't take up half a page. I deserve a pat on the back. **

Pink Tints

"So, things with DJ are…?" Summer sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Things with DJ are nonexistent. He was avoiding me for a while and I didn't get it. Finally, I learn that my mom paid him to leave me alone. She freaking paid him! And he accepted. So, I'm not talking to him."

"Damn, Coop. That's harsh."

"Yeah." She paused before dropping her fork and leaning back, mimicking Summer's pose. "So, how goes it with Seth?"

"I don't know," Summer answered.

"Are you guys still hooking up?" Marissa asked.

"Well, yeah. But then, there's this whole thing with college. I already know I'm going to UCLA but he's talking about NYU and he's applied to all these colleges in New York. Like, he applied to UCLA and USC with me too but I don't think he wants to go. He's late enough deciding as it is."

"That's tough."

"And, honestly, I don't want to be close to him right now. I mean, if he's just gonna leave then that's gonna be the end of us and I don't wanna be attached if it's just going to be…over."

"But you don't want to actually date him?" Marissa was confused, yet again, by the situation her best friend had managed to land herself in.

"It's…complicated," was the only explanation Summer could give.

"Excuse me ladies," said a waitress as she approached their table. Setting two waters down on the table she said, "These are from those gentlemen over there." She pointed in the direction of a table behind them.

"Thanks," Summer said as she glanced at the table. Dropping some bills on their own table, they got up and walked over to the table. "So water, huh? That's hot," she said, upon approaching the table.

"We thought you'd think so," Seth said as Summer slid into the booth next to him. Marissa took the other side, making herself comfortable next to Ryan.

"We were just talking about you," Marissa said, speaking to Seth.

"Coop," Summer said sharply.

"Oh, I meant that we weren't."

Summer gave Marissa a look clearly complimenting her on her excellent cover up. Marissa shrugged in an apologetic response.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Summer asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Sending water to random tables," Seth answered. She elbowed him for his sarcasm and he said, "Eating."

"Really? So were we."

"Well that's normally what you do at a restaurant." Summer elbowed him again.

She noticed Marissa quietly snickering and Ryan hiding a smile behind his napkin. "What?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing," Marissa said, failing miserably at concealing her smirk.

"Whatever. Coop and I have shopping to do, right Coop?"

"Yeah."

"We'll see you guys later," Summer said as she and Marissa slid simultaneously out of the booth and stood up. Linking her arm through Marissa's, they walked out of the restaurant.

Once the doors swung shut behind them, Ryan spoke. "So, has anything changed?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you and Summer."

"Me and Summer. Yeah…um, no," Seth said.

"Man, do you even want it to?" Ryan asked.

"Dude, I don't know." Seth let out a sigh. "Like now, we're trying to deal with college and everything. She's going to UCLA and I'm thinking about NYU. I applied to UCLA with her but I just don't know. What if she never wants to be together for real and I give up NYU for that?"

"Have you considered talking to her about it?"

"I dunno. She doesn't like talking about that stuff. It just starts to depress her and she'll change the subject." Seth paused. "I just don't know what to do."

"Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn't base a decision like that on someone like her. I mean, what if you're right? Say you guys go to college together and then she ends up meeting some random guy who she decides to date. Then you're left with a blown future and a year of hot sex."

"I guess you're right," Seth said.

* * *

"No, you see Summer, my grandma gets to smoke weed all the time. And it's legal."

"Nuh uh," she said as she set her drink down on the coffee table.

"Yuh huh. Pot is medically beneficial," he explained.

"Nuh uh," she said again.

"It is. I swear."

He reached out and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her down to sit on his lap. She giggled as he tickled her, his fingers pinching at her waist. She squirmed her way onto the couch until he was right on top her. "Give," he said in her ear.

She pushed at his hands before finally giving up and squealing, "Okay, I give! I give!" He released his grip on her, falling gently on top of her. She felt his lips leave a soft kiss on her shoulder before he turned his head to face the TV.

Don't think we're not serious  
When's it ever not  
The love we make is give and it's take  
I'm game to play along

"Oh my god, Cohen. What is this crap?" she said as she reached for the channel changer, which was sitting on the coffee table in front of them. She pressed some buttons and soon the VH1 channel that played music all the time was replaced by a Victoria's Secret ad.

"Now this is my kind of TV," Seth said as she ogled the models rolling around on beds and stuff.

"Cohen!" Summer said as she smacked him.

"Ow! What?" Summer didn't answer so he went on. "Gisele is hot."

"Oh my god," Summer said.

"Dude, she's Brazilian. Brazilian chicks are hot."

"Really? What about Californian chicks?" Summer asked.

"I don't know," he said. "They just don't do it for me."

"If you have any hope of getting laid today, you'll take that back right now," she told him.

"Summer, you are a goddess. You're just, like, the most beautiful woman in the world and I wish I had wallpaper with you on it so I could stare at you all day long."

"That's better."

"So, can we have sex now?"

Summer let out an annoyed grunt but other than that she ignored him. They lay there for a few minutes as Summer searched for something decent to watch. Finally, after passing MTV twice, she gave up, shutting off the TV completely and dropping the remote onto the ground.

"I'm tired," she announced to no one in particular. Seth shifted his head so that it was hidden next to her neck. "Let's sleep."

"Let's make out," he said, his voice muffled from his position. She felt his lips as they started to press kisses across her neck. Using his arms to hold himself up, he kissed her fully on the lips this time. His tongue gently pried open her mouth as her hands ran along his back.

"Where's your dad?" he whispered, not taking his lips from hers.

She kissed him again before answering. "Mmm…with some client," she said, using as few words as possible because his free hand was just barely brushing the skin on her thigh, above the hem of her skirt.

Things got heated quickly and they were both startled when they heard the front door swing open. Seth sat up quickly as the lights were flipped on. Summer sat up too and looked out over the couch to see her father standing in the foyer, a surprised expression on his face.

"Seth," he said.

"Daddy, I didn't know you'd be home," Summer said, her cheeks immediately flushing pink as Seth tried to nonchalantly fasten his belt.

"Meeting ended early," he said, as he very obviously stared at Summer's pink strapless bra, which had been flung over the back of the couch. She was quite positive that her cheeks matched its color. She knew Seth's did.

"Um, I should go," Seth said as he slipped his shoes on. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, okay," Summer said.

"Bye Mr. Roberts," Seth said, not making eye contact, as he awkwardly passed him on his way out the door.

Summer's dad walked into the kitchen and Summer followed, hovering in the doorway.

"So, you're serious about him." It was a statement yet it clearly asked for an answer.

"No," she said quietly. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was a lie. She knew that she loved him and with him, things were as serious as they get. But, using some twisted logic, she thought if she told everyone else they weren't, if she kept telling herself they weren't, that they wouldn't be.

"But you're sleeping with him."

"No," she lied again.

"So he just walks around with his pants undone?" Her father's tone was rising and she could see a pinkish color coming to his cheeks.

"Dad, it's not like that," she said. Her father couldn't know that they were sleeping together because then there was a good chance that his parents would find out. She also couldn't lie and say they were dating because then that also might be leaked to his parents and they know that they're not dating.

"Really? Then what's it like, Summer?"

"God, just leave me the hell alone!" she said as she stormed out of the kitchen. Grabbing her bra off the couch, she went out to her car, slamming the front door. She jumped in her car, starting the engine as one of Seth's stupid CD's came through the speakers. She tossed her bra on the seat next to her; she'd bother with it later, as she headed in the direction of Marissa's house.

Ten minutes later, she pulled up the entirely-too-long driveway to park in front of the Nichol mansion. She rang the doorbell where she was greeted by the queen of the manor herself, Julie Cooper…Nichol…Julie Cooper-Nichol…whatever.

"Hey, Mrs. Cooper. Is Marissa around?"

"Sure, sweetie. She's upstairs," Julie said as she motioned to the staircase.

"Thanks," Summer said as she slipped inside and up the staircase which was also entirely too long.

She knocked lightly before opening the door to find Marissa lying on her bed. "Hey, Coop."

"Hey, Sum," she said as she sat up. Summer sat down beside her. "What's up?"

Sighing, Summer said, "It's the whole thing with Cohen. It's so screwed up."

"Yeah, well I could have told you that before."

"No, that's not what I mean. It's my dad," she said, as she adjusted the strap of her tank top.

"Your dad and Cohen?" Marissa asked.

"Yeah," Summer said, as she picked Marissa's Share Bear up off the bed.

"What about them?"

"Well, Cohen and I were on my couch doing…what we usually do…and my dad walked in."

"On you guys having sex?!" Marissa asked, her eyes widening.

"No! Thank god, we didn't get that far but his pants were undone and my bra was…well it wasn't on me." Summer picked at something on the stuffed animal in her hands.

"So what did he say?"

"At first he didn't really say anything. Then Cohen left and he started talking some shit about me and Cohen being serious and then I was like 'no' and he was all 'but you're sleeping with him' and I was like 'no'."

"Did he believe you?"

"Hell no. Are you kidding me? Cohen was on top of me with his pants unzipped, of course he didn't believe me."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Summer said, setting the bear down on the bed. "I just don't want his parents to find out, you know? They'd freak out and I probably wouldn't be allowed near Seth. They think I'm, like, this sweet, innocent girl and if they found out I was currently using their son for my own dirty pleasures…it wouldn't be good," she finished.

"I agree." Marissa paused before broaching the next subject. "Has he said anything about college?"

"No," Summer said, her voice quickly changing from her solid angry one to a softer tone. "I think I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Alright," Marissa said, touching her arm as she stood up.

"I'll catch up with you later, Coop," she said as she walked towards the door.

"Yeah. Bye," Marissa said.

* * *

"Hey," Summer said, as she walked into Seth's room.

"Oh, hey," he said, sitting up. "I was just going to call you."

She sat down on his bed as he reached over and turned the music down. "So," she said.

"So," he mimicked. "What'd your dad say?"

"A lot of unimportant bullshit," she said, waving her hand and not bothering to give the details of the discussion with her father.

"I see." Seth paused looking around the room. "Any chance he'll tell my parents?"

"I hope not."

"Yeah, that's very reassuring," Seth said sarcastically.

"Look, if he says anything, we can just deny it," Summer told him. Seth still looked unsure so Summer leaned across the bed and kissed him. "It'll be okay."

Seth nodded his head slowly before speaking. "Can we talk?"

"Okay," Summer said, hesitant.

"But I want to give you something first," he said as he got off of his bed. He walked over to his desk where he rummaged around for a while before surfacing with a long, velvet box. He came back to the bed and sat down, handing it to her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Merry Chrismukkah," he said in lieu of explanation.

She opened the box and her mouth fell open slightly. "Oh my god," she breathed, staring down at the tiny silver heart with the diamond embedded in the center that hung off a matching silver chain. "Seth, I…I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll wear it," he said, leaning over to kiss her.

"Of course," she whispered as he took the box from her, removing the necklace. She turned her back to him so he could put it on. Bringing the necklace around her throat, his fingers worked the clasp. His face was so close that she could feel his breath, hot on the back of her neck. Finishing the task of fastening the necklace, he let his fingers spread out over her shoulders as he leaned down, kissing the base of her neck. His kisses moved sideways along her neck as she turned herself so that she was facing him. Pressing more kisses across her collarbone, he finished with a kiss to her lips, soft and sweet.

"So you like it?" he asked and she nodded. "Good."

Finally she remembered that he wanted to talk about something. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Yeah, about that," he started. "So, I've been thinking about school a lot."

"Yeah," Summer said, not liking the direction in which this conversation was headed.

"And, um, I think I'm going to go. To New York."

"You are," Summer said. Inside, everything had gone black. She felt like each one of her organs was shutting down, starting with her heart. Her stomach had twisted itself into knots and she was positive she was going to throw up. She wanted something solid to hold onto but all she felt was hollow air. Her throat started to close up and she couldn't breathe.

"Summer? Are you okay?" Seth asked, as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to disguise her body's physical reaction to this news. "I'm just going to…use the bathroom."

Locking the door behind her, she gripped the counter and concentrated on breathing. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. She couldn't figure out why she was reacting this way. She knew this had been coming. She splashed some water on her face in an attempt to calm herself down.

"Calm down, Summer," she spoke to herself reassuringly. "It's okay."

Finally, when she felt she was composed enough to face Seth again, she went back to his bedroom.

"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, his face expressing his concern.

"Oh, it was nothing," she said, brushing it off. "It's the air. The changing seasons start to get to me."

"Oh," he said, confused. Obviously, he didn't buy her story.

"So, you're going to New York," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"Yeah," he said, slowly, waiting for her to react again.

"Well, that's great. I'm…I'm really happy for you," she forced herself to say.

"Thanks," he said, still hesitant. "You wanna go get something to eat?"

"Sure," she said, plastering on a smile. He looped an arm around her waist as he led them out of the bedroom.

**A/N: Hahaha… There just wouldn't be a story without drama! Since it took me so long to get the other chapter out, I got this one up quicker. Appreciate it. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the lyrics I added didn't have a _whole lot_ to do with anything. I really kind of just established an obsession with Jimmy Eat World so, you know.**


	9. Wet Bodies

**A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Thanks again for all the support. This chapter I'm reintroducing some characters that haven't been here for a while:**

**Lindsay: currently dating…Ryan! Of course!**

**Alex: currently dating…MARISSA! Yeah, I couldn't resist. I'm actually excited about that, like, honestly. Everyone's like ew…she's a lesbo and I'm like "Hey more power to ya! That's awesome!" Just a quick reminder, things with Alex and Seth didn't happen in this story like they happened on the show. Going back a few chapters, you'll remember that they just kissed. He did, however, quit his job in this story (mainly because I forgot about it). Yeah, that's the only problem I'm having with stretching this fic out over such a long period of time is that I forget certain things from earlier chapters. It's okay though, because I kind of have this mapped out in the direction I want to go. I also have a few more fics in the works but I don't want to post them while I'm still working on this one. We'll see how it goes.**

Wet Bodies

"Cohen, what time are your parents getting home?" Summer asked from her spot on the couch.

"Um, probably not till, like, three," he answered, jabbing a few buttons on the controller.

"Heck yes," she said, getting up and stepping over his legs which were resting on the coffee table.

She ambled into the kitchen, shuffling some things in his cupboards. Then, she disappeared into the tiny little room that was more like a hallway connector but it had a wet bar and a lot of alcohol. She remerged with a bottle of what looked to be champagne.

"What the hell is she doing?" Ryan asked from his end of the couch where he was playing Seth at the ninja game.

"Dude, what the hell is she ever doing?" Seth answered.

"Good point."

"Hey Summer? You know it's not even nine thirty, right?" Seth called.

"Who cares? It's New Year's Eve, baby! It's never too early to drink."

"You know what, Ryan? I think she had a few drinks before she came over here," Seth said, leaning towards the TV.

"I heard that," she said, as she came back into the living room, a champagne flute in hand.

Then, the doorbell rang and Seth tossed the controller to Summer, which she didn't catch, before he headed to the foyer to answer it. Seth opened the door to find Marissa, and her date, who, not surprisingly, was Alex.

"Hey Ryan!" Seth called. "Come over here and let's make it even more awkward!"

"What?" Ryan said, as he approached the front door. "Oh. Um, hey guys."

"Funny Seth," Marissa said as she pushed through them. "Hey Ryan," she said, as she gave him a hug.

"Alex, long time no see," Seth said.

"Mmhmm," she said, following Marissa into the room.

"Coop!" Summer screeched as she came bounding into the foyer.

"Sum!" Marissa squealed back, equally as shrilly. "Happy New Year!" she said as she hugged her.

"Happy New Year," Summer said, as she politely hugged Alex too.

As everyone finished greeting and hugging, wishing a happy New Year, the doorbell rang again. This time, enter Lindsay, Ryan's date for the evening.

"Hey everyone!" she said, once inside.

Summer entered, having refilled her glass of champagne. "Linds! You're here!" she said, a bit too loudly.

"Hey, Summer!" She pulled her into a hug and whispered over her shoulder, "Is she drunk?"

"Just a little," Seth said, holding up his thumb and pointer to symbolize "little".

"Want some champagne?" she asked, offering her glass to Lindsay.

"Oh, no thanks," she said, pushing it back towards her.

"Let's go to the kitchen," Seth said, grabbing Summer by the elbow and leading her to where Marissa and Alex were already propped against the counters, discussing something.

"So, what now?" Marissa asked, noticing their entrance.

"Champagne?" Summer suggested.

------------------

One hundred and two minutes until midnight and Summer was far past tipsy. Seth knew the alcohol was the one accountable for the way Summer was acting but it was still odd to him. She was being all touchy with him—sitting on his lap, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around him, stuff like that—which she hadn't even done when they were dating.

Seth was currently standing in the kitchen being chided by Marissa for allowing Summer to drink. "Dude, she drank before she came!" Seth said.

"That doesn't mean you had to give her more alcohol. You know how the champagne goes straight to her head," Marissa reminded him.

"She helped herself," Seth told her. "And besides, it's New Year's Eve. Who doesn't drink?"

"You could've held off. Now, she's going to look like a complete fool."

"Get over it, Marissa. You're drinking," Seth said, pointing to the drink in her hand.

Marissa was about the reply with some smart remark when Alex approached. "Come on," she said, quietly. "It's New Year's." A soft smile appeared on Marissa's face and she nodded, letting Alex lead her back into the living room.

Ryan appeared in the kitchen and Seth sighed. "Maybe it was a bad idea to invite everyone over."

"Why? It won't be anything compared to the destruction caused last year," Ryan said.

"I'm not talking about structural damage, man," Seth told him. "I'm talking about people damage."

"People damage?" Ryan questioned.

"Maybe it's, like, the wrong time to mesh these people," Seth tried to explain.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and Marissa have a history and Alex and I sort of have a really, very short history and then there's Lindsay and now Alex is with Marissa and Summer's just drunk off her ass making everything ten times more awkward with all this unnecessary touching."

"I guess I see your point," Ryan agreed. "But, we've got to do it sometime. If we're all gonna be friends and everything."

Seth shrugged and Ryan clapped him lightly on the shoulder before he headed back into the living room where Lindsay was attempting to play Tony Hawk's Underground. Alex entered the kitchen then, leaning on the counter across the island.

"So," Seth said, trying to think of something to say. "You and Marissa seem pretty happy," was what he ended up with, and he just hoped it wasn't too weird.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, she's really cool. And just, like, hot."

Seth looked up, slightly surprised with this but answered with, "Yeah, well maybe I'll get to watch some day."

If Alex thought this perverted, she didn't show it, just smoothly replied with, "Oh no, wouldn't want to upset your mistress."

"I'm not married," Seth said.

"I'm sorry. Whore," she said, as if correcting herself.

"She's not a whore," Seth said, always quick to defend Summer. Then, he smiled, almost mockingly, and said, "You know, I knew you'd bring this up."

"Bring what up, Seth? The fact that you kissed me and then ditched me for her?" She said this all with a calm voice, as if she couldn't give a shit whether they discussed this or not. Almost as if she were reporting the weather.

"You knew I wasn't over her," he said, just as calmly.

"No, no, of course not. I get it, Seth. And we're fine. We really don't need to talk about this."

Just then, Summer appeared at his side, slinging an arm easily around his waist. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked, innocently.

"Nothing," Seth said, staring Alex straight in the eye, daring her to say different.

"Yeah," she said, moving toward the living room.

Seth leaned down and kissed Summer's temple as be brought a hand to the small of her back. She leaned up, kissing the underside of his chin before taking another sip of her champagne. "Want some?" she asked, holding it up to him in offering.

"No thanks," he said. "At least one of us has to be sober."

------------------

Ryan was headed to the fridge on his way to grab another soda when he was intercepted by Summer. "Ryan," she said, very seriously.

"Uh, yeah?" he said, just a little confused.

She put her hands on his shoulders and looked him right in the eyes as she asked her next question. "Are you mad at me?"

"What?" Now, he was more than a little confused.

"Are you mad at me?" she repeated.

"Should I be?" he asked.

"Well, you used to get really mad at me for hanging out with Seth. You said I shouldn't jerk him around." Summer looked down at the ground, a pitiful look on her face. "I don't mean to. I really like Seth, maybe even love him, and—" Suddenly, she clapped a hand to her mouth, her eyes huge. "Please don't tell him I said that," she said, begging. "It's just that, if he knows that, then things will get complicated. Too many feelings—"

"Summer?" Ryan said, interrupting her drunken rambling. She looked up, as if surprised to find that he had a voice. "I'm not mad," he told her.

"Oh thank god," she said, placing a hand over her heart in a very dramatic gesture.

"You make him happy," he added, squeezing her arm and continuing to the refrigerator. This was definitely one strange New Year's.

------------------

"Let's play Truth or Dare!" Summer suggested excitedly.

"Let's sit and be quiet," Seth told her.

"Come on, Cohen," she said, turning in his lap to face him. "You're no fun."

"And you're drunk."

She just rolled her eyes and faced back around. Ryan and Lindsay were sharing one of the chairs to her right and Marissa was sitting on the floor in between Alex's legs, who was positioned on the couch next to them. "So, who wants to go first?" When there was no response, she said, "Fine, I'll go first." Then, she looked around the room, deciding who her first victim would be. "Coop, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Marissa said, a little tipsy herself.

Summer thought for a minute before she turned around and whispered something in Seth's ear. He nodded his head and she turned back around, a satisfied smile on her face. "I dare you to eat a jar of mayonnaise."

"Oh, ew! Sum, that's gross!" Marissa shrieked, making a face.

"Fine," Summer said, getting huffy. "I dare you to eat a _spoonful_ of mayonnaise."

"Ew," Marissa said, still making a face but accepting the challenge.

Twenty minutes later and a half a bottle of champagne had been chugged by Lindsay who was now feeling her own buzz, Summer's breasts had made an appearance, courtesy of Seth, Seth had downed an entire stick of butter, payback from Summer, and now it was time for the inevitable dare surrounding a certain pair of people and their newly announced homosexuality.

Hushed conferring was coming from Seth and Ryan, obviously deciding who would ask. Lindsay sat on the arm of Ryan's chair, not paying any attention to what he was saying. Summer looked over at Marissa and Alex next to each other on the couch completely oblivious to anything going on around them.

"No way, man. You ask," Seth was saying.

"You're the one without the girlfriend!" Ryan whispered.

"Yeah, but I have Summer. And Summer equals sex. And mad Summer—"

"Oh my god, Cohen," Summer said loudly. "You did not just say that."

"Hey there, Summer" Seth said, as if he was surprised to find her in his lap. He had been leaning forward and, apparently, thought he was being quiet. "I…uh…say what?" he asked, trying to look innocent.

"My god, you guys are such pussies. I'll ask." Summer had a tendency to use…interesting language when he she was intoxicated.

"Coop," Summer said, loudly commanding the attention of her best friend, which she had gotten long ago for yelling at Seth about the sex comment.

"Yeah?" Marissa said.

"Perv-boys want to see you two make out."

Alex and Marissa laughed, trying to hide it but failing. Then they looked at each other and smiled as if they had some secret that no one else was in on. They leaned in and kissed until they felt the need to come up for air. Seth sat, staring, wide eyed, as they did so. Feeling Summer shift in his lap reminded him that she was there and he quickly decided that this was all he needed for the rest of his life.

Finally, they pulled back and looked at the eyes of Summer, unconcerned, as if she saw this everyday, the eyes of Seth and Ryan, wide eyed and waiting for more, and Lindsay, a little surprised and a little curious as if she might like to try for herself.

"That was awesome," Seth said, and Summer elbowed him in the chest.

"I'm still mad at you." She glanced up at the TV, which had been playing on mute the whole time and yelled, "Oh my god! Turn it on! Put the sound back on! Turn the sound on!"

Seth reached a hand around and covered her mouth in an attempt to quiet her but she promptly bit him and he pulled back. "Ow! Jesus Christ!"

"It's almost New Year!" she exclaimed, as if this was the reason for biting him. She pointed at the TV, where they were now focusing on the brightly lit ball in Times Square. The people huddled outside started counting down the seconds: 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…and then "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Things exploded on screen and confetti littered the sky.

Ryan leaned in, giving Lindsay and gentle kiss as Marissa and Alex started up their kissing fest again. Summer surprised Seth by turning around and laying a drunken kiss on him.

Once the commotion on screen died down, the group moved outside to the patio for, as Marissa suggested, the first swim of the New Year. Seth didn't quite get it but followed Summer outside and watched as she, along with Marissa, stripped down to their bra and underwear before jumping in the pool.

"You coming?" Marissa asked Alex, who didn't hesitate in shedding her clothes and jumping in alongside the best friends.

Ryan and Lindsay disappeared, unnoticed, into the pool house to do things Seth would rather not think about. Instead, he sat down in a chair at the end of the pool, his back to the pool house, and settled in to watch the girls.

"What's a matter, Cohen?" Marissa asked.

"Yeah, you don't wanna come swimming?" Summer chimed in.

"Oh no, I think I'll just watch," he said, leaning back with his hands locked behind his head.

There was a whispered conference between the girls, some suspicious smirking, loud giggling (no doubt coming from Summer), and then they broke up, diving under water and swimming to different areas of the pool. Seth knew they must have hatched some kind of plan to do god knows what to him but started to doubt that idea when nothing happened. Marissa had moved to the hot tub and Alex was talking to her, her hands on the mosaic tiles where the water ran over, while Summer swam slowly over to his end.

"Hey," she said, sweetly.

"Hi," he said back.

"What'cha doing?"

"Sitting here," he said.

"Oh. I think I might get out," she informed him.

"Okay."

"We'll need some towels," she told him.

"Hell no. I am not even knocking on that door," Seth said quickly.

"Fine," she huffed. "I'll just walk my _soaking wet body_," she said, drawing out the words almost seductively, "through your house. I'm sure your mother won't care that I dripped water off my _wet wet_ body onto her rugs."

"You can stop with the wet body references," he said. "I'll go get your towels as long as you promise to be wet in my room later."

Summer's eyes doubled to twice their normal size. "Cohen!" she said.

He just laughed and got off the chair, heading back into the house for towels. When he came back out, Marissa and Alex had already gotten out and were standing together, waiting for him. He tossed them two towels and then looked at Summer who was still swimming happily in the pool. "Come get your towel," he called.

"Could you bring it here?" she said, looking at him with innocent eyes.

He walked over to the edge of the pool where she planned on getting out and before he knew what was happening, he was tumbling into the pool. Coming to the surface he wiped the water from his eyes. "So that was the grand plan? It took you guys like a ten minute consultation to come up with that."

"Shut up, Cohen. You're soaking wet aren't you?" Summer said, swimming over to him. She nodded to Marissa who took Alex back in the house to get two more towels considering the one Summer was going to use was now floating in the pool somewhere. "Let's get out and eat icecream!" she said, as if it were some brilliant idea.

Seth just followed her out, accepting the towel handed to him by Marissa. "We're all wet so we're going to get going," Marissa told them. "Tell Ryan and Linds we said bye."

"Yeah, later guys," Alex said, as they walked back through the house.

Summer's energy was starting to wind down just a little, and she was entering what Seth recognized as her "sleepy drunk" stage. He knew he had roughly thirty minutes before she was out. "Come on," he said, snaking an arm around her waist. "Let's take your wet body inside."

Seth led Summer upstairs to his bedroom where they both changed into dry clothes. She was actually able to find a pair of sweatpants she had left at his house a few weeks ago and he lent her one of his t-shirts.

Once they were changed, they went back downstairs and Summer sat on the island counter while Seth cleaned up the few stray cups that had been left around. He rinsed out the champagne flutes and disposed of the empty bottle. When he decided the house was clean enough that his parents wouldn't have a fit when they came home, he walked over to Summer. Standing between her legs, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face against the side of her neck.

"I'm drunk," she slurred into his ear.

"Yeah you are," he said, not lifting his head from its resting place.

"Let's sleep," she said.

He nodded his head against her neck in agreement and slid her off the counter. He found it surprisingly easy to carry her but, of course, there was no way he was going to attempt the stairs. Not yet, anyway. Instead, he just laid her down on the couch where she shifted a little and then opened her arms to him. He laid down on top her and she whispered "Happy New Year, Cohen."

"Happy New Year," he said, but her eyes were already drooping shut.

------------------

**A/N: So I ditched some drama for the New Year but don't worry…things will start heating up in the next chapter! Leave a review!**


	10. She's A Screamer

**A/N: Looking back over some of the chapters, I'm realizing that I'm starting to get more comfortable in this story and things are starting to flow better. My writing seems immature in the beginning, if you get what I mean. Also, real quick, we learned in episode 23 "The Nana" that Sandy has a brother and sister but we don't have a clue what their like or whatever so I'm making his sister up.**

She's A Screamer

"Like, she was hyperventilating?" Ryan asked from where he was lounging on the pool house bed.

"Yeah. It was crazy. She had to go to the bathroom and then she said something about changing seasons and we went out to eat," Seth explained from the wicker chair across from the bed.

"Maybe you should take her to a doctor," Ryan offered.

This suggestion was met by a series of snorts and snickers coming from Lindsay who was lying next to Ryan on the bed.

"What?" both boys asked in unison.

"Please tell me you guys are not that stupid," she said.

"Um, apparently we are so enlighten us."

"It was what you told her," Lindsay explained.

"What? About New York?" Seth asked.

"Yes."

"Why would that upset her so much?" Seth questioned, still confused.

"Okay," Lindsay said, sitting up. "You guys are sleeping together, yes?"

"No! Why would you think that? Why would she think that, Ryan?" Seth said, immediately covering up. Summer was a private person and Seth had no objections to keeping their "arrangements" as quiet as possible.

Lindsay gave him a pointed "yeah, okay" look and Seth shrugged. "Seth, it's simple as this: she loves you."

"No way," Seth started. "Summer doesn't love. Not like that."

"Mmhmm, and why would she still be with you if she didn't have any feelings for you?"

"She likes the sex," Seth told her, admitting the truth in hopes of having Lindsay make sense of the situation.

"Wrong," Lindsay said. "If it was sex she liked, she'd be out screwing every guy on campus. Just face it, she has feelings for you Seth. She's just scared."

"Scared of what?" Seth asked.

"If you guys got together for real," Lindsay started, preparing to spell the whole thing out for him, "then she's giving herself over to you, fully and completely, as would you. She's opening herself up to an opportunity to get hurt. Badly. She's knows that she could get screwed over big time and by denying everything, she feels that, somehow, she's saving herself."

"You are so brilliant," Ryan said, leaning over to kiss her.

"Yeah, I'm still here," Seth said, and they broke apart. "So, what I do now?"

"Tell her how you feel," Lindsay said.

"She knows how I feel," he told her.

Lindsay thought a while, biting her lower lip. "There's got to be something more holding her back," she commented. "Has something really traumatic happened to her? Like, an event that might change her views on people or something?"

"Her mom bailed on her a few years back but that's the only thing I can think of that's, like, remotely traumatic," Seth said.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?!" Lindsay yelled. "God, that explains it. Not only is she afraid of getting hurt, but she doesn't want to hurt you either. She knows that you love her and she's afraid that she'll leave you. Just like her mother. She's trying to protect you. Both of you."

"This is so fucked up," Seth said.

"Where is she now?" Ryan asked.

"Um, her dad went away on business yesterday but he left her his credit card and told her to buy herself something nice which means she and Marissa are buying out half the mall right now."

"Oh yeah," Ryan said as if he just remembered something. "What did Sandy and Kirsten say when they came home the other night?"

"They didn't say anything at the time cause we were, like, asleep. They woke us up in the morning though and I drove Summer home and then they were all like "what's going on with you guys" and I was just like "nothing we're just friends". I told them she was drunk and we just fell asleep and they were like "okay" but I don't think they believed me," Seth said, recounting his parents' actions when they found Seth and his "friend" asleep underneath him on New Year's Day.

"That sucks."

"Yeah, well." Seth shrugged. "Let's play Playstation."

-----------------

A few hours later, Summer and Marissa approached the open door of the pool house. "Hey guys," Marissa said.

"Hey there," Seth said back. "How was the shopping spree?"

"Good," Summer said, making her way over to one of the chairs.

"Summer got into a fight with the saleslady," Marissa informed everyone as she took a seat on the ledge.

"Coop!" Summer said, scolding her best friend. "Besides, she shouldn't have been such a bitch."

Seth stood up and tossed his controller to Marissa. "Here," he said. "Play." Then he turned to Summer. "I've got to grab something from the kitchen. Come with?"

They exited the pool house and the rest of the group continued to play a few rounds of playstation. They got bored quickly though and ventured out into the main house. Approaching the kitchen doors, they heard yelling and quickly stopped, dropping back into the shadows.

"What are we even fighting about?!" Seth yelled.

"I don't remember!" Summer screamed back.

"Well that's the way it is with us, isn't it?" Seth said, his voice returning to a somewhat normal level.

"God, just shut up," Summer said, crossing the kitchen quickly. Before any of them outside could even guess what had happened, Summer's lips were on Seth's.

Once the need for oxygen set in, they pulled back. Breathing heavily, Seth said, "Want to go up to my room?" Summer nodded and Seth placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her up to his bedroom. And just like that, all their problems had been solved.

"Now for the make up sex," Marissa said, watching them go.

"Ah, yes," Ryan responded. "The ever popular make up sex."

"What are you guys talking about?" Lindsay asked them as they finally entered the kitchen.

"They fight," Marissa started.

"And then they have make up sex," Ryan finished. "Without ever actually making up."

"I don't know though, Ry," Marissa was saying. "That looked different."

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked, grabbing some sodas from the refrigerator.

"They looked angry. Like, seriously mad. Not how they usually fight," she explained.

Ryan shrugged. "They couldn't even remember what is was they were fighting about. I wouldn't worry."

"You're probably right," she said, agreeing. "God, I hope your parents don't come home anytime soon."

"Yeah," Ryan said, laughing.

"Why?" Lindsay asked, because, clearly, she hadn't been around Seth and Summer long enough to know.

Ryan and Marissa shared a knowing smile. "Summer is…" Ryan started to say but stopped, not sure how to put it.

"A screamer," Marissa provided and watched Lindsay's eyes go wide as they comprehended the meaning.

"Oh," she said.

"Yeah, so maybe we'll all move back out to the pool house," Ryan suggested. "I'm not sure you can handle that yet," he said, referring to Lindsay.

"Well, I've got to go meet Alex, but Seth can take Summer home, right? When they're done doing…ew, nasty visuals."

"Yeah," Ryan told her. "Go on."

"Alright. I'll see you guys later." She waved and then disappeared from the kitchen, the front door shutting a few minutes later.

------------------

"Hey, Cohen," Summer said as she tossed her keys on the side table in her foyer. "How's it going?" She leaned down to scratch behind the tiny kitten's ears. Picking him up in one hand, she headed into the kitchen to get some food. She didn't, however, plan on running into her stepmom.

"Oh, hey Sum," she said like they were actually friends or something.

"Dianna," Summer said curtly.

"What are you doing home?" she asked, trying to make conversation.

"I got out of school," Summer told her, completely disgusted by her lack of knowledge, or interest for that matter, of her life.

"Oh."

Summer set the cat down on one of the stools at the island counter and moved to the fridge to find a suitable snack.

"So, I've been meaning to ask you," Dianna said as moved towards the cat, "who this little guy is."

"His name's Cohen," Summer answered.

"How cute! Like that friend of yours," she commented as she pet the kitten's head.

"Yes, well, he's the one who bought him for me," Summer said, wondering why she had just offered up that information. It clearly invited conversation, which she did not want.

"That's so sweet. Are you two dating?"

"No," Summer replied, wondering why the hell she cared.

"Oh." Dianna paused. "Well, your father's out of town—"

"Gee, I hadn't noticed," Summer said, just loud enough that her stepmother heard.

She ignored it though and continued. "So I was wondering what you wanted for dinner."

"I think Marissa's coming over so me and her will do something."

"Oh, okay then," she said, scratching the cat one last time. "I guess I'll just call up Vic and she and I can go out, you know, so you girls can have the house to yourselves."

"Mmhmm," Summer said, picking up her cat and her drink and going into the other room.

A few hours later and she was lounging on the couch with Seth and Marissa.

"Sum, this movie is, like, two years old," Marissa complained.

"So what?" Summer said, as she put The Ring into the DVD player.

"Let's watch something from this year," Marissa suggested but Summer shook her head.

"The kid in the beginning is hot."

"Fine, then we can watch the beginning and then we'll turn it off," Marissa offered.

"Fine," Summer said.

"What kid?" Seth questioned from where he was almost asleep on the couch.

"I don't know, his name's like Kellen or something. He's the one sitting on the table."

Summer walked back to the couch where Seth lifted his head high enough for her to sit down before laying his head back down on her lap. She rested a hand on his chest as the movie started playing.

They switched The Ring with a different movie after they saw the hot kid. Marissa decided, for the seventh time, that the kid was totally not her type while Summer rambled about how damn hot he was, also for the seventh time. About forty minutes into their next movie, Seth's breathing had steadied as he had drifted off to sleep.

"Let's do something fun, like put his hand in a bowl of warm water," Marissa suggested.

"No way, Coop. He's on my couch."

"Fine, then what do _you_ want to do? Freeze his bra?"

The girls smiled at what they used to think was the cleverest trick when they were in the seventh grade. "We could always draw on him."

"Too boring," Marissa said. "We could throw him in your pool."

"What if he drowns?" Summer said.

"Good point." Marissa put a hand under her chin and rested her arm on the armrest. "What if we just drag him outside and leave him on your front lawn?"

Summer laughed at this. "When he wakes up, he'll have no clue where he is!"

Marissa stood up from the chair and Summer eased Seth's head off her lap. He stirred a little and both girls froze. He rolled onto his side but his eyes stayed shut. Marissa worked her hands under his legs while Summer went for his upper body. They tried to lift him but he wouldn't budge. Both girls groaned under the weight.

"He's really heavy for such a skinny boy," Marissa commented as the girls tried again to lift him.

"I know," Summer panted. "He's actually surprisingly strong."

"Somebody must give him a pretty good workout," Marissa said with a smile.

Summer was about to comment when Seth shifted and suddenly the girls were tumbling backward. Seth fell on top of them with an "oomph". He scratched his head and looked around clearly confused.

"Morning sleepyhead," Marissa said in between giggles.

"What the hell are you guys trying to do?"

This just sent the girls laughing again. "You," Summer laughed, "were…too…too heavy."

Seth was still confused, as if somehow, his weight explained why he would be laying on top of Marissa and Summer on the floor. He got up and brushed himself off and then stuck out of hand to help Marissa up. Marissa left for the kitchen and Seth grabbed Summer's outstretched hand, yanking her a little harder than necessary and sending them both toppling onto the couch.

"So," he said as Summer propped her elbows on his chest and played with the buttons on his shirt. "Why were you two trying to pick me up? Is this some weird best friend ritual that I haven't heard about?"

"We just wanted to put you on my front lawn," Summer said, as if this was a normal thing to do. "And what best friend rituals have you heard about?"

"The whole blood sister routine where you cut yourselves open and bleed into each other and then, somehow, you're connected for life," he explained. "I never got that one. You girls are probably spreading AIDS and all kinds of diseases doing that."

"Me and Marissa did that."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," she showing him her hand, palm up. Sure enough, there was a faint scar right below her thumb. "Coop's got one too."

He kissed her forehead and she leaned up to get his lips but he pulled away. "No," he said, laughing. "You're probably diseased. I don't want your spit in my mouth."

"Fine," she said, acting indifferent. "I guess we just won't have sex. Ever."

"Well," Seth said, changing his attitude. "It's not like Marissa has any diseases, right?"

"Exactly," Summer said leaning up again.

"But wait," Seth said, stopping her. "She did do it with Luke and that guys has probably been in at least a fourth of the Harbor High population."

"Ew!," Summer said, smacking his chest. "We did it in, like, the eighth grade, _before_ she ever did anything with him."

"Okay, then I guess it's okay," he said.

"You guess?" she said as her lips finally touched his. She kissed him slowly before pulling away.

"It's definitely okay," he said kissing her again.

Just then Marissa came back in from the kitchen carrying a glass of water. "You know, Sum's bedroom _is_ right up the stairs and to the left," she said, taking a seat.

"Mmm," Summer said, pulling back. "I know." She smiled, not taking her eyes off of Seth's. "We were just there before you came over."

Seth smiled back at her as they heard Marissa's response. "Gross. That was definitely way too much information."

"What?" Summer said as she stood and shrugged her shoulders. "It's true."

Marissa was about to reply when the doorbell rang. "Who the hell would be here?" she asked, speaking the same words Summer was thinking.

"Not a clue," Summer said as she walked into the foyer. "Ryan?"

"Hey," he said. "Is Seth here?"

"Yeah," she said. "Seth," she called over her shoulder.

Seth had turned around to see who was at the door and was already up off the couch and headed towards the doorway. "Hey, man," he said as Summer walked back to the couch. "What're you doing here?"

"Your dad needs you home for dinner, like, now," Ryan explained. "Your aunt is here."

"Oh my god," Seth said, smacking himself in the head. "How could I have forgotten?"

"I don't know," Ryan said in a rushed tone, "but we gotta go."

"Why didn't you call my cell?" Seth asked.

"It's not on," Ryan sad flatly.

"What?" Seth reached into his pocket looking for his cell phone.

"It's on the coffee table," Summer said as she came back over.

"Why isn't it on?"

"I turned it off," she explained easily.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because, we were _busy_," she said.

"Summer, you could have at least told me, then I would have known to turn it back on," Seth said, getting frustrated.

Summer shrugged. "I didn't think it would be that big of a deal," she said, as she stepped closer to him, fingering the buttons on his shirt.

"Well—" he started but was cut off when she kissed him.

"I'm sorry," she said, pulling back a fraction of an inch.

"It's just—" She kissed him again, giving him no time to finish his sentence.

Ryan sighed and Marissa looked at him from across the room. He motioned for her to help him out here. Marissa jumped up off the couch and walked to the foyer. She clapped her hands loudly, which startled Seth and Summer enough to pull back. "Time to go," she said.

Ryan gave her a look, wordlessly voicing his thank you's before Seth grabbed his jacket. "So, you ladies coming?"

"Sure," Summer said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Why not?" Marissa said, mimicking Summer's shoulder shrug.

"Great, but let's go," Ryan said, ushering everyone out the door and into the Range Rover.

------------------

The arrived at the house in a pack and walked in to find Sandy's sister, her husband, and their two children all seated in the living room. His Aunt Sam lived in New York so he didn't see them as often as he would have liked but they visited every now and then.

"You're back," Kirsten said, standing up.

"Yeah," Seth said as they walked into the living room. "Sorry we're late."

"It's alright," Kirsten said as she guided the kids to the couch. "Summer, Marissa, are you girls staying?"

"Only if it's alright with you," Summer told her and Marissa nodded.

"Of course," Kirsten said warmly. "We always have room for you two."

"Seth! Oh my gosh," his aunt said as she got off the couch and hugged him. "The last time I saw you, you were just a boy."

Seth smiled bashfully and hugged her back. It really had only been a year since he had seen them but he supposed he probably looked a little older. "How are you?" he asked.

"Fabulous," she said. "And yourself?"

"Never been better."

"Seth."

"Uncle James," Seth said, shaking his uncle's hand. "How's it going?"

"Good, good," James said. "I see you've got some friends," he said, nodding in the direction of the girls.

"Oh yeah," Seth said, as the girls stepped forward. "This is Summer." Summer stepped forward and shook both adults' hands. "And Marissa." Marissa did the same.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sam said.

"You too," the girls said in unison.

It was then that Summer noticed the children sitting on the floor in front of the couch. She nudged Marissa and both girls stared in awe at the way the two children were interacting. There was a girl who must have been about five years old. She was handing a boy, who Summer guessed to be about three, the blocks he was using. He was stacking them lopsidedly and every time he turned away, the girl would fix them for him.

"Noelle," Sam said, looking at the children. "Don't you want to say hello to your cousin?"

The girl looked up and smiled shyly at Seth. "Hey, Noelle," Seth said as he walked over and squatted beside the two kids. "What are you guys building?"

Summer had to bite her tongue to keep in the "awww" that was threatening to come out. She looked at Marissa who smiled back.

"Blocks!" the boy said, who's name was James Jr., J.J. for short.

"So, we'll eat in about fifteen minutes," Sandy said standing up. "Don't worry, Kirsten didn't cook."

"Sandy," Kirsten said, standing beside him. Everyone else laughed.

Fifteen minutes passed quickly and pretty soon everyone was moving into the kitchen. Any awkwardness had quickly dissipated as Summer was currently engaged in a conversation with his aunt about the new "spring colors". Ryan, who had they had met for the first time when they arrived that evening, was chatting away with his uncle about architecture while Marissa tagged along, J.J. in her arms.

Noelle was twirling pirouettes under Seth's hand as she told him about the ballet lessons she was taking. "And my teacher said I was the best in the class but I'm not allowed to tell anyone else because that would make the other girls jealous and I don't want them to hate me even though if they did, they might not want to dance with me anymore and I could get a solo but it's okay because my teacher said I'll probably get the solo anyway," she said, rambling a mile a minute and reminding him, strangely, of himself.

"Really?" he said.

"Yup."

"That's awesome."

"Isn't it?" She said and, at that point, she stopped reminding him of himself and started reminding him of Summer. And, if his memory served him correctly—and he liked to think it did—the conversation went something like: "Wow, Summer. You look…beautiful." "Don't I?" Yeah, that was Summer alright.

"Hey." Speak of the devil…

"Hey," he said as she approached.

"I really like your family, Cohen."

"They're not bad," he said, smiling at her. Noelle tugged on his hand and he said, "Hey, Summer, guess what."

"What?" she said, smiling down at the little girl.

"Noelle's ballet teacher said she was the best in her class."

"Did she?" Summer asked as she squatted down until she was eye-level with the child.

Noelle nodded and a little color came to her cheeks.

"I took some dance classes when I was your age," she told her.

"You did?" she asked, speaking up for the first time.

"Yeah. Granted I took hip-hop which is pretty different from ballet, but it's dance all the same."

"Can you show me something?" Noelle asked timidly.

"Sure," Summer said, standing up.

Seth watched as she backed up so she had enough room. Then she did something that looked really complicated and really awesome. It involved a lot of hand movements and those little booty-drop things that girls did.

"Geeze, Summer. You never showed me that," he said as she walked back towards them.

"You never asked," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm asking now."

"I just showed you," she said.

"Can you teach me that?" Noelle asked, letting go of Seth's hand and stepping towards Summer.

"Of course," Summer said. "But right now, we have to eat. I'll teach you after dinner."

Dinner went smoothly and now, Summer and Marissa had cleared out the living room and were currently teaching his five-year-old cousin how to "shake her thang" because apparently, Summer and Marissa had attended the same hip hop classes. Ryan sat on the couch, watching and rating their moves for them. They were all smiling, the three girls' faces were flushed, as they continued to dance. Their only complaint being that they couldn't find any decent dance music. Apparently Death Cab wasn't appropriate.

Seth stood at the kitchen counter as his parents finished loading the dishwasher. Then, Sandy and his Uncle James disappeared to Sandy's office. His mother was pacing the kitchen, holding J.J. She was talking quietly to him and every once in a while he would reply back with a random comment that made no sense but was something only a three year old could think of.

"So, Seth," his aunt said, looking at him over the counter. "Summer's a really nice girl."

"Yeah," Seth said, staring absently into the living room. "She's great."

"How long have you two been dating?"

Kirsten stopped pacing and looked at Seth. She raised her eyebrows as Sam waited expectantly for an answer. Seth scratched his head, unsure of how to get out of this one.

"Yeah, um, we're not…uh, dating," he said.

"Oh," Sam said. "Well, I just thought…you guys just seemed so…close."

"We are," Seth told her. "We dated a while back in our junior year," he said, talking slowly, "but I made…I made a big mistake." He thought it weird to be talking about this out loud.

"Oh," his aunt said, as if she understood.

"We're friends now," he explained. "Best friends," he added, almost as an aferthought.

"I see." She looked down at the counter and then back up. "Marissa and Ryan dated too, yes?"

"Yeah. How'd you know that?"

"It was a lucky guess," she said, winking at him. "You can tell by their body language."

Seth wondered if she was implying that he and Summer did not depict the body language of a couple who had broken up. Was she saying they still acted like they were dating? They'd have to work on that.

"Cohen!" Summer called from the living room. "Come here! Look at the routine Marissa and I taught your cousin!"

Oh, geeze.

------------------

**Be happy, I gave you guys an extra long one for making you all wait so long. Thank me by leaving a review.**


	11. Happy Valentine's Day

A/N: Ah, it's incredibly late! I'm sorry! But I've had this idea in my head since January and it's been sitting in there developing so, hopefully, it will be good. Also, just something I was pondering the other day when I was watching some season one episodes. Number one, nowhere in the first (or second, for that matter) does it say that Summer's mom left her. It says her parents divorced. Number two, it never says she has a bad relationship with her father either. In fact, in episode 1.25 The Shower, we're told she has an excellent relationship with her father, even going as far as to say he's her best friend. In episode 1.22 The L.A., she talks about how her mother started blowing her off because she was having an affair. I think that both of her parents are still in her life at this point. But, I think that because they don't really have an active role in the show, like, say, Kirsten, Sandy, Julie, and Jimmy (I miss him!) do, they also don't have an active role in our stories. So in turn, we've invented this story so that neither of them are really involved. Sorry, that was just a long, rambling thought I've been thinking about for a while.

Happy Valentine's Day

Seth was sitting on his bed, reading a comic book when Noelle wandered into his room. Originally, they were going to stay in a hotel but Kirsten said that was silly when they had a perfectly good guestroom right here. So Sam and James took the bed while Noelle and J.J. slept on the air mattress.

"What'cha doing?" she asked, standing with her hands clasped behind her back and peering at the comic in his hands.

"I'm reading a comic book. What are you doing?"

"Standing here, talking to you," she told him smartly.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be up?" he asked.

The little girl shrugged. "Mommy hasn't come and got me yet."

"I see," Seth said as he made room for the girl to sit on his bed.

"Guess what tomorrow is," she said as she climbed up next to him.

"What?"

"Guess." Seth knew this was a five-year-old's favorite game so he played along.

"Valentine's Day."

"Right!" she said. "I have a Valentine."

"Yeah? Who is it?" Seth asked.

"His name is Steven. He lives back home though so I cant see him."

"How do you know he's your Valentine?"

"Because," she said. "I just know."

"Oh, I get it," he said, remembering what it was like he was five. Not to say that he had a Valentine then. Or ever.

"Is Summer your Valentine?" she asked him.

Seth was a little taken aback. Now, even his five-year-old cousin was on to them? "That's kind of a complicated question," he said.

"Why? I like her. She's really nice. And she's really pretty."

"She is very pretty," Seth agreed. "I'm not so sure about nice, though."

"Is she your girlfriend?" Noelle asked, looking up at him.

"No," Seth told her.

"Do you like her?"

"Yes, very much so."

"So why isn't she your girlfriend?" Seth decided that little kids ask way too many questions.

"Because she's scared," he said, not realizing that this answer would provoke more questions.

"Scared of what?" Noelle asked, genuinely confused.

Seth sighed and tried to think of the best way to put this. "She's scared that I might really love her."

"Oh," Noelle said, looking away. "I think she likes you."

"She might," Seth said, smiling to himself.

"Are you going to have babies?"

"Whoa, what's with all the questions tonight, Noelle?" he asked.

"I'm a curious child," she told him and he had a feeling she had heard that somewhere else.

"Yes you are."

"Seth?" Kirsten said as she came into his room, saving him from a conversation he did not want to have. "Oh, there you are, Noelle. We've been looking for you."

"I've been here the whole time," she told Kirsten, as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, it's time for bed," she said, holding her hand out to the little girl.

"I was talking to Seth," Noelle informed her as she hopped off the bed.

"What about?" Kirsten asked, as Noelle placed her hand in hers.

"Summer," she said and Seth groaned inwardly as they started to head out of the bedroom. "He told me that he likes her. A lot."

"Really?" Kirsten said, turning and raising her eyebrows at Seth.

"As a friend!" Seth yelled in a weak defense as they disappeared into the hallway.

Apparently little kids don't just ask a lot of questions. They have really big mouths too.

-

The first thing Summer noticed when she woke up was the smell. The scent of roses was everywhere. It was so strong she wondered if she was waking up in a florist. She forced her eyes open and the next thing she saw was the color. Red. It was everywhere. She rubbed her eyes, making sure to get rid of every bit of sleep that might be clouding her vision. She sat up and looked around taking in everything.

First, her bed was covered in rose petals. They were scattered across the entire surface of her bed, including her. She pulled a petal from her hair and watch as if fluttered down to lay with the rest of them. Her eyes traveled around the room, noting more rose petals. There were some on her desk, dresser, and nightstand, though those were a little sparser.

She found a single rose sitting on her nightstand next to her cell phone. Coincidentally, her phone started ringing at that moment. She checked the caller ID and flipped it open, not able to control the smile tugging at her lips.

"You are so _cheesy_," she said in lieu of greeting.

"Really?" he answered. "I was going more for sweet and romantic. And maybe a little cheesy."

"I can't believe you did this. Where did you get all of the petals?" she asked him.

"I'm cool like that," he said. "So you're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"I don't know," Seth said, and she could picture him shrugging on the other end. "It's just…kind of a big gesture when we're not technically…you know…" he trailed off.

"I love it," she told him reassuringly.

"Good," he said. "Because it took a hell of a long time to do."

"Still going for the romantic approach?"

"Not so much."

"I can tell. So," she said. "I get this big, romantic Valentine's Day wake-up but you're not here. What's up with that?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that," he said. "Open your bedroom door."

Summer peeled back the covers, her smile growing bigger, as she flung open her door. "Okay, what the hell?" She looked at the empty space in her doorway and heard Seth laughing on the other end.

"I totally got you," he said and she could still hear him laughing.

"Not funny," she said.

"Check your front door," he told her.

She bounced down the stairs, still not completely convinced that he would be there. She flung open the door and her suspicions were confirmed. "You know what? This is retarded. Seth Cohen, where the hell are you?"

Seth was laughing again and Summer was getting annoyed.

"Seriously Seth, where are you?"

"I'm at home," he said.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, planting a hand on her hip.

"No," he said. "Why don't you go upstairs and get changed because I think my mom would be a little suspicious if you came over in your underwear, and then meet me here."

"Fine," Summer huffed, snapping her phone shut and dragging herself up the stairs. Halfway up, she stopped and glanced down at herself. She had a pair of striped boyshorts and gray t-shirt. How did Seth know she was in her underwear?

Before she got seriously creeped out, she convinced herself that he just knew what she slept in. Because he did. And anyway, he said he was at home, right? So she made her way up the rest of the stairs and back down the hall to her bedroom.

She opened the door to see Seth sitting on her bed, another rose in his hand. "I tricked you," he said as she broke into a smile.

She tackled him, falling backward on the bed and landing on top of him. "You're such a jerk!" she said, sitting up on his lap.

"I try."

"I can't believe you did all of this. It's like…wow."

"So you like it?" he asked again.

"Yes! Cohen, I told you. I love it. No one's ever done anything like this for me before. It's like totally cool. And just…" She didn't finish her sentence as her eyes continued to move around the room.

Seth leaned up and kissed her. "So does this mean you'll be my Valentine?"

She giggled and kissed him back. "Of course."

They fell back on the bed together, kissing. "So, I think we should spend the whole day here," Seth was telling her as his lips trailed down her neck. "Because, this is the one-year anniversary of the day that we really got it right. This. What we're doing now."

Summer giggled for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. "You mean like we did yesterday?" she asked, referring to their marathon session.

"No, yesterday was different," he explained. "Yesterday we were celebrating the loss of our virginities. Today, we're celebrating good sex. And a little bit of Valentine's Day."

"I see," Summer said as he rolled them over so he was on top. "This is a lot of sex."

"We'll only do it once," he promised her as his hand traveled up her rib cage.

And, of course, how could she say no?

-

"Summer!" Noelle said, flinging herself into Summer's knees and wrapping her arms around her legs.

"Hey!" Summer said, leaning down and picking her up.

"What? I don't get a hello hug?" Seth said, as they made their way into the kitchen.

"I haven't seen Summer since _yesterday_," she told him. "I saw you _this morning_."

Summer set the girl down, smiling at Seth over her head.

"You guys were gone _forever,"_ she said, accenting this statement by planting a hand on her hip. "Where were you?"

"Well, silly me, I thought we were only going to do it once," Summer said bluntly.

Seth immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. "What she means is, we were…uh…eating breakfast," Seth said, saying the fastest thing he could think of. "And we ate it twice. Ow!" Seth pulled his hand away from Summer's mouth. "So now you bite?"

"I wouldn't have bit you if you didn't have your hand over my mouth."

"I wouldn't have had my hand over your mouth if you weren't saying inappropriate things in front of virgin ears."

"What's virgin ears?" Noelle asked.

"Hey, Seth. When did you get back?" His Aunt Sam walked into the kitchen and headed for the cupboard. "Oh, hi Summer," she said once she saw her.

"Hi," Summer said.

"Mommy, can we go swimming now?" Noelle asked.

"I think you have to ask your Aunt Kirsten," Sam told the child.

Noelle crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her foot. "But I want to go now."

"We'll watch her," Summer said.

"You will?"

"Of course. Come on, Noelle," Summer said, sticking out her hand, which the child eagerly accepted.

"Thanks so much," Sam said, as they made their way out to the pool.

"No problem," Seth said, following them out. "Hey Noelle, what's with the cowboy boots?" Seth looked at Noelle, who was currently dressed in a blue bathing suit with a frilly little skirt around the waist and a pair of white cowboy boots.

"Gosh, Seth. Don't you know anything?" she said and Summer turned around to smile at him.

"Yeah, Seth. Don't you know anything?" Summer repeated.

"Apparently not," he said as Summer took a seat on one of the lounge chairs and watched Noelle as she took her boots off and stepped delicately into the water.

"Are you coming?" Noelle asked, looking at Seth.

"I'll go change," he said. Then, turning to Summer, "I'll be right back."

"Okay."

Seth disappeared into the house and emerged a few minutes later in his swim trunks and a t-shirt. "I found a bathing suit top of yours but I don't think I have the bottoms," he said, speaking to Summer.

"Hmm," she said as he took off his shirt and dropped it on the end of her chair. "Wonder how that happened."

Seth smiled at her and walked over to the pool. "It might come in handy if you want to tan or whatever."

"I think I'll go put it on," she said, standing up. "Where is it?"

"It's in the bottom drawer, along with the rest of your crap that you're always leaving here."

"Gee, thanks," she said sarcastically as she went into the house.

Kirsten entered the kitchen and saw Summer. "Hey, sweetie. When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago," Summer said, stopping to chat with her.

"Where's Seth?" Kirsten asked.

"He's out by the pool with Noelle," she said.

"Are you leaving already?"

"No, I was just going to change my top," she explained.

"Oh."

Just then, Sam came back into the kitchen. "Kirsten, what time are we leaving tomorrow?"

"Our flight leaves at eight."

"Wait, _your_ flight?" Summer asked, confused.

"Yeah, didn't Seth tell you?" Kirsten asked, turning back to Summer.

"Tell me what?"

"We're going to Ohio for the weekend," Kirsten told her.

"Ohio? Why?" Summer didn't know who in their right minds would vacation in Ohio.

"One of Sandy's cousins is getting married. We're only going for a few days."

"Oh. Well, that sounds like fun. I guess." Summer also didn't know who in their right mind would get married in February. Especially in Ohio because it's, like, cold and snowy there.

"You should come," Kirsten said.

"Really?" Summer asked.

"Yeah," Kirsten said, going to the coffeemaker. "I don't know if Sam and I will be able to make it through the entire weekend with all those boys. It would be nice to have another woman around."

"Sure," Summer accepted. "I'll just talk to my dad."

Summer stepped into the hallway, pulling out her cell phone and forgetting about her bathing suit top altogether. She called her father who said he would be fine with it, once she reassured him that the Cohen's and some of their extended family would be joining her on the trip and it would not be just her and Seth. She then headed back out to the pool to find Seth tossing Noelle into the air and watching as she fell, splashing back into the pool. Instead of commenting on how dangerous that game was (he had played it with her many times and she often ended up with water up her nose), she stood by the edge of the pool with her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her foot.

"Cohen, out. Now," she demanded and he immediately obeyed because he knew her well enough to know that this was her warning tone.

"Yes?" he said, standing in front of her, dripping wet.

She smacked him in the chest, causing him to stumble backward a little. "Ow," he said, rubbing the spot where her hand had made contact.

"When, exactly, were you going to tell me that you were leaving for Ohio?"

"Um, today?" he said nervously.

"Wrong answer."

"I just forgot," he said, shrugging.

"Well, I'm going with you," she told him.

"What?"

"Your mother invited me and I accepted," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go pack." Seth looked at her, confused. "Pull up your shorts," she said randomly, reaching out and tugging them up on his hips. Then, she turned to go.

"Bye?" he said, trying to make a connection between her joining them on their trip and pulling up his swim trunks.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she said, blowing him a kiss as she left and he couldn't tell whether it was sarcastic or not.

"Happy Valentine's Day."


	12. Welcome to Ohio, Bitch!

A/N: It takes me forever to update I know but the next one should come sooner. Anyway, I couldn't resist. I had to bring them to my home state. I know, Ohio is probably the lamest place on the planet that someone could pick to visit, let alone live, but, unfortunately, I do live here in this lame, lame state. So bear with me, I won't hit you with too much Ohio culture in this chapter but if a place or something seems weird, just know that it probably is. But I once stayed in a hotel room like the one I described and it was freaking awesome! I am exaggerating when I say it's negative 50 but it seriously feels like it. I'm so sick of winter. Also, just a thanks to _YellyBelly_ for your comment about my writing getting better. I agree with you totally and in fact, I really hate the first 3 or 4 chapters of this story! If I could change them, I would. Kind of a lot of short parts making up this chapter but oh well.

Welcome to Ohio, Bitch!

"Thanks so much for all your help, Cohen," Summer huffed as she dragged her three suitcases into the lobby of the hotel and dropped them at her feet.

"I have a bad back," he said offhandedly.

"Yeah, okay," Summer said, as the rest of the Cohen clan entered in behind her.

Sandy headed over to the check-in area, followed by his brother-in-law. They talked with the light-haired woman behind the counter for a few minutes before they returned to the group, each with their card-keys in hand.

"Okay, we're ready to go," Sandy said, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "We're on the fifth floor."

The group headed to the elevator but it was decided that all nine of them, plus their luggage, would be too tight of a squeeze so they divided into families and boarded the elevators separately. Seth, Summer, Ryan, Sandy, and Kirsten adjusted themselves to fit comfortably in the tiny compartment.

They finally arrived at the fifth floor and, after two wrong turns, made it to their hotel room. Sandy slid the card key in and waited for the green light. When he opened the door, Summer decided that it was quite possibly the biggest hotel room she had ever seen. And she had stayed in her fair share of nice hotels. There were three rooms, not counting the bathrooms. First, they had what was called a common room, which was basically a room with a bunch of couches, chairs, and a TV. Over in the corner, there was a tiny little kitchen with a counter and a mini fridge. Then, on one side of the room, there was a door leading into a bedroom with a king-sized bed and a bathroom. On the other side, there was a room with two queen-sized beds and a bathroom.

"Sorry, guys but this was biggest hotel room they had," Kirsten said as they moved into the room. She went to drop her luggage in the room with king-sized bed and emerged a few minutes later. "You guys are going to be in here. Summer, sweetie, I hope it's not too awkward for you to share a room with the boys. If it is, we can just get you your own room altogether."

"No. No, of course not," Summer said immediately. There was no way she was going to let them pay for an entire hotel room just for her. She was already cashing in on their trip. "It'll be fine."

"Okay, good." Kirsten turned to Seth and Ryan as Summer went to put her things in the bedroom. "You guys are sharing a bed. Is that weird? I don't that a lot about teenage boys, which is probably a bad thing because I have two. But do you guys do that? Like, share beds?"

"Mom," Seth said, stopping her from rambling any further. "We'll be fine. Just get us some duct tape and we can tape a line down the center."

Kirsten gave him a blank stare.

"I was being sarcastic," he explained as he followed Ryan into the room. "But seriously dude, stay on your own side."

* * *

"Hey, you're still alive," Seth said as his mother and Summer entered the hotel room, their arms loaded with shopping bags.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Kirsten asked she set her things down.

"Shopping with Summer can be deadly," he said as Summer shot him a look.

"No," Summer corrected. "Shopping with _you_ is just annoying."

"So, they at least have a decent mall," Kirsten was saying as Sandy came out of the bedroom he and Kirsten were sharing.

"Yeah, Beachwood or something," Summer said, speaking up. "They had a Nordstrom and a Saks and even a BCBG."

"Well, I always love a good BCBG," Sandy said, obviously not having a clue what the girls were talking about.

Summer smiled to herself as she went to drop her bags in her bedroom. Seth followed her and sat down on the bed as she started pulling things out of the bags. "So, you want a fashion show?" she asked, stepping in front of him.

"How about we play the Guess My Lipgloss Flavor game?" he suggested.

"Your parents are in the other room," she said as she leaned over to kiss him anyway.

"So what? If they come in, we'll just tell them that I was performing mouth-to-mouth recitation." He grabbed her hips and pulled her mouth down to him before he leaned back and said, "Strawberry Spritzer."

"Nope," she said and kissed him again.

"Mango Splash?" He probably should have been ashamed that he could name so many lipgloss flavors from memory but after playing this game a few dozen times, you get to know the flavors.

"Uh uh."

"Strawberry-Mango Spritzer Splash?"

Summer laughed. "I don't think they even make that combination."

Seth kissed her again, a little longer this time and said, "Grape?"

"Ew," she said. "Who wears grape lipgloss?"

"Well, all my other guesses were wrong. I figured I had a pretty good shot if I started naming random fruits."

"I see," she said as she kissed him. "I'll give you a hint." She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I'm not wearing lipgloss."

"Cheater!" he said. "That's totally cheating! There's no way I can win."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Getting to kiss me isn't winning enough?"

"You know, I have no idea why anyone would call you conceited," he said as he pulled her to sit in his lap.

"Jerk!" she said, smacking him across the chest.

"You know you love it," he said, burying his face in her neck.

Seth's head shot up and Summer jumped off his lap as soon as the door opened. "You guys are getting pretty good," Ryan said, as he entered. "But you still need some work. I don't think either of your parents would buy the mouth-to-mouth recitation excuse. Or mouth-to-neck," he said as a second-thought.

Both blushed at Ryan's comments as Summer tried to nonchalantly wipe her mouth. "I was just going to show Cohen some of the clothes I got," she said weakly.

"Let's see 'em," Seth said, turning and picking something up off the bed. "What's this?"

"It's a dress," Summer said, planting a hand on her hip.

"It's, like, a yard of fabric!"

"Is not," she defended, yanking the dress from his hands.

"There's no way you're wearing that to the wedding," he told her.

"Calm down," Summer huffed, stuffing the dress back in its rightful bag. "I bought a different dress for the wedding. And, you don't have to be so controlling," she added as an afterthought.

"Me? Controlling?" Seth said, looking shocked. "Look at yourself. You're, like, the most controlling person I know!"

"I'm so not controlling," she said, glaring at him. "And, it's not like it's my fault that you listen to everything I say."

"Maybe I wouldn't listen to everything you say if you didn't threaten me with bodily harm!"

"Um, guys," Ryan said, interrupting. "You might wanna lower the volume just a little."

"You still choose to listen," she said, going back to placing things in their proper bags. "I'm _not_ controlling."

"Yes, you most definitely are. 'Seth, get me a magazine,' 'Cohen, buy me some coffee,' 'no, I want to be on top,'—"

"Whoa, okay. That was _way_ too much information," Ryan said, standing up. "I'm just going to leave now because, um, wow."

Summer glared at Seth as Ryan left the room. "Way to go, Cohen. Just tell the whole world about our personal life."

"Like he cares," Seth said, motioning to the door as it shut behind Ryan.

"Why do we do this?" Summer asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning up.

"Do what?"

"Fight. All the time. It's all we ever do anymore," she said.

"It's not," he defended quickly. "Look, we're not seriously fighting," he said as he moved to stand in front of her, putting his hands on her waist. "It's just how we function. I'm not mad at you." He kissed her on the forehead. "Okay?"

She nodded and he kissed her lips. "Okay."

"Can I see the dress you're going to wear to the wedding?"

Summer smiled and reached behind him for a bag. She pulled out a dress and held against her body. "You like?"

The dress was two different shades of pink silk chiffon and hit her just above the knee. It was trimmed in black piping with black spaghetti straps and a back-tie halter strap, which was connected to the beaded brooch in the middle of the chest.

"Try it on," Seth commanded and Summer stripped her shirt over her head. She tugged off her jeans and removed her bra and then pulled the dress over her thighs and onto her shoulders.

"What do you think?" She twirled around in it for him and he smiled at her.

"I think you look amazing," he said.

"Thank you," she said, doing a little curtsey.

Someone knocked on the door and Kirsten appeared. "Hey guys," she said. "We were just talking about dinner and I think we're just going to order up some room service. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Summer said.

"That's fine," Seth said at the same time.

"Summer, sweetie, that dress looks fabulous," Kirsten commented as she was about to leave.

"Thanks," she said as Kirsten disappeared. "I love your mom," she said, turning back to Seth.

"You're weird," he said to her.

"Thanks, but I think you beat me on that one. Like, majorly."

"You just, like, warm my heart with your niceness," he said.

* * *

"Summer, come on!" Seth called as he pounded on the bathroom door. "What are you doing in there?"

He was met by silence. Summer had been in the bathroom for over an hour and Seth knew if they didn't get going soon, they would be late to the wedding. He also knew that the same scene was being played out in the other bedroom between Sandy and Kirsten. Ryan was settled on the couch, ready to go, and waiting for everyone else.

"She's taking forever," Seth said, coming into the common room.

"Your mother's doing the same thing," Sandy said, emerging from the bedroom.

"Women," Seth said and plopped down on the couch.

A few minutes later both bathroom doors clicked and the girls appeared. "What are we waiting for?" Kirsten asked, grabbing her purse from the table.

"Yeah, let's go," Summer said, on her way to the door.

Seth and Sandy both opened their mouths to comment but smartly shut them a minute later. Ryan and Seth got up off the couch and the three boys followed Summer and Kirsten into the hallway.

"My sister is waiting for us in the lobby," Sandy said as they approached the elevator.

They arrived in Ohio on Friday night and allowed themselves a day before the wedding on Sunday. After the wedding, they would be flying back to California on Monday while Sandy's sister and her family would fly back to New York.

"Are you going to bring a jacket or anything?" Seth asked, eyeing Summer's spaghetti straps.

"No," she said, continuing to walk.

"You do remember that we're in Ohio and not California, right? You know, Ohio, where it's like negative 50 degrees out."

Realization passed over Summer's face before she came up with a solution. "I'll walk really fast to the car."

Seth looked at her blankly for a minute but she just turned around and kept walking, mumbling what he was sure was, "What kind of people have weddings in February anyway?"

His mother came up next to him and said, "So, how's Summer?"

Seth turned to look at her and said, "Wait, you too?"

"Me too what?" Kirsten asked.

"You're not wearing a jacket either?"

"I'll walk quickly to the car," she told him and then moved back to the subject she actually wanted to discuss. "She's been spending a lot of time at our house lately. Things okay at home?"

"Yeah," Seth said, shrugging. "They're fine."

"How's her dad? Better?"

"He's alright," Seth said, keeping his voice low.

"And you and Summer are just friends?"

"Yes, mom. We are _friends_. Exactly the same as we have been since I got back. Why are you asking me so many questions?"

"I'm just trying to get involved in my son's life," she said as they came upon the elevator.

"Yeah, well, go get involved with Ryan's," he told her, stepping inside.

Kirsten frowned before stepping in after him.

* * *

"Dance with me?"

Someone was standing in front of Summer, a hand outstretched, waiting for her to take it and follow them.

She looked up, slightly surprised but smiled when she saw Seth looking down at her. She grabbed his hand and he led her to the dance floor where he placed a hand on her lower back and clasped the other to his chest. She placed a hand on the back of his neck as they began to sway to the music.

For once Seth was quiet and she lost herself in the moment. Before she knew it, the song was ending and Seth was being tapped on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?"

"Yeah, man," Seth said, clapping Ryan on the back. "Be careful with her," he said in mock seriousness as he walked back to the table.

"I thought you didn't dance," Summer said as Ryan took the same position as Seth just moments before.

"You have to dance at a wedding," Ryan explained. "It's like a rule or something."

Summer laughed. They danced a while longer before Summer peered over Ryan's shoulder to look at what Seth was doing. Instead of seeing him sitting alone at the table, waiting for her, she now saw that he had company at the table. One of the bride's blonde, big-boobed friends was sitting with him.

She felt the immediate flush of jealousy creeping up her spine as Seth said something to make the girl laugh. Ryan must have felt her tense up because he turned his head to see what she was looking at. When he saw the girl at the table, he rolled his eyes and turned his head back around.

"He only wants you," he said.

"What?" Summer asked, being pulled out of her trance.

"Seth. He loves you."

"Yeah…I know," Summer said quietly. She and Seth didn't usually discuss their relationship with anyone and, in the beginning, it was meant to be kept a secret from everyone. But, obviously, Ryan knew. And there was something trusting about him that she didn't feel the need to act for him. She could see why Marissa had loved him.

"So, why do you guys keep doing this to yourselves?"

"Doing what?" Summer asked defensively.

"You guys are either dating or you're not. You have to realize that there isn't any in between."

"Look, Ryan, Seth's going to New York for school. I'm not. I'm not going to get all…attached or whatever." Ryan was talking an awful lot for such a quiet boy and she kind of wished he would stop.

"You guys could make it work," he tried to say but she stopped him from going further.

"This whole 'Save Seth and Summer's Relationship' campaign is sweet and all but we know what we're doing."

"Okay," Ryan said but his tone clearly indicated that he didn't exactly believe her.

The song came to a close and Seth was by their side. "So, can I have her back?"

"Yeah," Ryan said, smiling and handing her over to Seth. He went and took his seat at the table as Seth's hand came to rest on Summer's back.

"Have fun flirting with your new friend?" she asked sarcastically.

"Ah, Summer, always so subtle."

"Yeah, well," she said, shrugging and looking away.

"Hey," he said, putting a hand to her chin and turning her head back to him. "You're not seriously jealous are you?"

"No," she said. "Not seriously."

"Then, what is it?"

Summer shook her head and looked at him, forcing out a smile. "It's nothing."


	13. Purple Bras and Purple Linens

A/N: Alright, a lot of you are getting antsy. Don't worry. I'm not going to drag this out for too much longer. I know exactly where I'm going with this and I pretty much have the last chapters planned out. There should be about three or four. I want to say thanks so much for all the reviews. They really make me happy and I'm sorry I make you all wait so long for updates! They should be faster because Spring Break is coming up and we all know I don't have a life.

Purple Bras and Purple Linens

Summer fumbled with the zipper on Seth's pants, pulling it down as his mouth moved back to hers. His hands snaked their way up her shirt, slipping it over her head, and she let out a frustrated groan as her head hit the door for the second time. "Remind me again why we're doing this in your car," Summer told him as his lips moved across her neck.

"Because," he stated, "my parents are home and your dad is home and you have trouble keeping your mouth shut."

"So what?" she said. "Doesn't it turn you on to know that someone could come any second?"

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna _come_ any second if you don't hurry up with my pants."

Summer giggled at his pun and finished the job of removing Seth's pants. Just as she was about to take off his boxers, her cell started ringing. She groaned as Seth's head hit her chest and he let out an exasperated sigh. "Hang on," she said, as she climbed into the front seat to dig through her purse.

"Why didn't you turn it off?" Seth complained as he sat up.

"Because I didn't," she snapped, flipping it open. "What?"

Seth waited in the backseat for what felt like forever before she hung up. "Who was it?" he asked.

"Coop," Summer said, as she climbed awkwardly into the backseat.

"What'd she want?"

"I don't know. Some shit about how she had to cancel her plans with me because Alex wanted to do something with her."

"Ouch," Seth said.

"You know, it really sucks when your best friend starts dating a girl," Summer started as she sat down normally in the seat next to Seth who had also sat up. "Because it's, like, totally different from her dating a guy. When she used to blow me off for Ryan, I knew that they were just going to, like, make-out or brood together or whatever. But if she blows me off for Alex, she could be replacing me. You know what I mean?"

"Um, are you trying to tell me that you and Marissa have a lesbian relationship?" Seth looked at her. "God, that would be so hot."

Summer looked pointedly back at Seth before continuing. "I'm saying, what if Alex makes a better best friend than me? And so not only will Alex be her lover, but she'll be her best friend too and then Marissa won't even need me anymore."

"Mmhmm," Seth said slowly. "I think that what you need to do is to go show Marissa that you can be her lover too. And let me watch." Seth wiggled his eyebrows at Summer.

"Shut up, Cohen," Summer said, smacking him across his bare chest. "God, I'm having a serious problem and you're joking."

"I'm sorry," he replied. "But it's what I do. I joke." He dropped his hand onto her upper thigh, gently touching the skin there.

"I know," she said bitterly, ignoring his hand. "It's all you ever do and the only time you're serious is when _you _want to talk about something." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the opposite window.

"Summer, come on," Seth said, sliding closer to her. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. He stole a kiss before saying, "Don't think about Marissa or Marissa's lover. Instead," here started to kiss her neck, "concentrate on being my lover."

He was going for the seductive approach but he just couldn't do it and they both started cracking up. "Smooth, Cohen," she commented as he ran his hand over her bare stomach.

"Yeah, well. I try," he told her as he reached for her bra strap. Sliding it down her arm, he said, "Take this off." She thought it pointless for him to have told her that because he reached around and undid it himself anyway. Then he laid her down in the backseat and said, "Now, can we get back to what we started?"

She giggled and kissed him in response.

* * *

"Hey," Ryan said as he opened the front door to find Marissa on the other side. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm supposed to deliver a message from Julie to Kirsten." Marissa had stopped calling her mother "mom" and since started referring to her as Julie. Ryan knew she was still sour about…well, everything.

"Oh," he said. "Top secret Newpsie info, I got it."

They laughed as they walked to the kitchen. "So," she said, making conversation. "Where's Seth?"

"Well, he took the car and Summer so, I'd guess they were doing it right now." As this thought sunk in, he made a face. "Ew, I am never sitting back there again."

Marissa's eyes had widened a little because she was not used to hearing Ryan talk about something so bluntly but then she made a face herself as she realized she had just talked to Summer not too long ago. "Gross, I was just on the phone with her. No wonder she was so pissed off."

"Yeah, well, I'd probably be pissed too if someone interrupted me while having sex."

Ryan then wondered if Kirsten could pick the most awkward time to walk into a room. "Okay, _what_ are you guys talking about?" she asked as she entered the kitchen.

Ryan and Marissa exchanged glances before Marissa said, "Interrupting sex sessions." Kirsten just stared blankly at them so Marissa went on to the next subject. "Anyway, I'm here to inform you that Julie ordered the wrong linens for the charity event. She said that they're purple and not rose and since the benefit dinner is tomorrow night, she's not sure what to do."

"Purple?" Kirsten sighed. "Did she say what kind of purple?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, are they shock-me-purple or are they more of a lavender?"

Marissa shrugged. "She just said purple. Sorry."

"It's okay," Kirsten said as she went for the phone. She dialed the number and stepped out into the hallway with the phone pressed to her ear. "Julie, it's Kirsten…what kind of purple? …Shock-me-purple? …White linens…yes…yes…okay, I'll see you tomorrow." The phone beeped as she hung up and walked back into the kitchen. "It's all settled. Julie and I both have plain, white linens that we'll use instead of the purple."

"Maybe you guys should use the purple," Marissa suggested. Kirsten looked at her like she was crazy but she went on. "It would be a nice change."

Kirsten looked at her before saying, "I'll think about that." She started to walk out of the room but backtracked and said, "I just have a quick question."

"Shoot," Ryan and Marissa said in unison.

"Would Seth and Summer be having the sex that was interrupted?"

They stared at her blankly, not sure how to go about answering that question. "Uh…" Ryan started.

"Oh my god," Marissa said, looking down at her cell phone. "I didn't realize it was so late. I have to go." She slid off the stool and headed towards the kitchen door.

"Bye sweetie," Kirsten called.

"Bye," Marissa said, turning to look at her. She was met with a glare from Ryan, obviously for leaving him alone in the kitchen with a very hard-to-answer question.

"So?" Kirsten waited patiently for Ryan to answer.

"Um…I think," Ryan said slowly, "that maybe Seth should be the person you ask this particular question."

Kirsten looked at him, temporarily shocked by his loyalty. It was then that he chose to slip out to the pool house. "Ryan," she called to his retreating back, and watched him tense, waiting for her to ask again. She knew it would be unfair to ask him, to force him to choose between his best friend and brother and the woman who put a roof over his head and fed him daily.

"Yeah?" he said, as he turned around.

"You're a good friend," she told him, and smiled. He smiled back before continuing on his way.

* * *

Seth slipped in the pool house door a few hours later to find Ryan jabbing at the buttons on the Playstation controller. "Hey, man," he said, as he took a seat on the bed.

"Hey," Ryan said, tossing him a controller. "How was your date?"

"Whoa, it wasn't a date. Since when do me and Summer date?"

"Right, sorry. What do you guys call it?" Ryan asked.

"Uh," Seth searched around for an answer. "We're hanging out."

"Hanging out… You know, if you guys are "hanging out"," Ryan took one hand off the controller to symbolize finger quotes, "I think the definition has changed."

Seth answered with a grunting noise as he pressed down on a button.

"Just a heads up," Ryan went on, "you guys might want to stop "hanging out" so much because Kirsten's catching on."

"What are you talking about?" Seth said. "My mom's completely clueless."

"She asked me and Marissa tonight if you guys were sleeping together."

"What?" Seth almost jumped off the bed. "What'd you say?"

"What do you think I said? I told her to ask you."

"You told her to ask me?" Seth said, asking for clarification. "Why would you do that? Now, of course she's going to think we're sleeping together!"

"Seth, I can't lie to your mom," Ryan said.

"Sure you can. I do it all the time."

"That's different. She's actually your mom. Your parents," Ryan said, "they've done too much for me to sit there and lie to their faces."

Seth fell back on the bed. He wasn't about to ask Ryan to lie for him because, he was right. His parents had done a lot of stuff for Ryan that they didn't have too. Now, he just had to figure out how to convince his mom that he and Summer were, in no way, involved like that.

* * *

"Can you please hurry up?" Seth was sitting on Summer's bed, watching as she ran around her room, trying to get ready. "We're going to be late."

"Only by a half an hour," she told him. "And a half an hour is still within the time limit of being fashionably late."

He rolled his eyes at her as she emerged from her closet. "You were in your closet for, like, ten minutes and you're still not dressed?" he asked incredulously.

"I was looking for my dress," she explained. "And then I remembered that I dropped it off at the cleaners this morning."

Seth fell backwards, letting his head hit her pillows. He had sat in her bedroom and watched her get ready plenty of times before this and, while it was usually one of his favorite activities, he was not enjoying it right now. He took it as a good sign that she had already done her hair and make-up, which would be two less things she'd need once she got her dress.

Summer grabbed her robe from the end of her bed and put it on. Then, she opened her door and stepped into the hallway. "Daddy!" she called and waited for her father to answer.

A few minutes later, Neil Roberts appeared at the top of the stairs. "Yes, princess?"

"Daddy, did you pick up my dress from the cleaners?"

"Of course. I picked it up this afternoon. It's in the front hall closet," he told her. "I'll bring it up for you."

Summer smiled at her father. "Thanks Daddy."

"No problem." Her dad kissed her on the forehead before he disappeared back downstairs.

Summer stepped back into her bedroom and Seth said, "You are so spoiled."

"Like you can talk," she said. "You have, like, the richest family in this town."

"Maybe," he said. "But that doesn't mean I was _spoiled_."

"Whatever," she said as her father appeared in the doorway.

"Here you go," he said, handing the dress to her.

"Thank you," she said, taking the dress from him.

Mr. Roberts shot Seth a disapproving look before turning around and walking back downstairs. Seth knew Mr. Roberts hated him and figured the only reason he was letting him stick around was because Summer wanted it. And, anything for daddy's little princess.

"You're dad hates me so much," Seth said.

"You're right," Summer said, which probably weren't the reassuring words Seth wanted to hear but could have been expected knowing Summer. "But that's okay because _I_ don't hate you. Yet."

"Oh, you're funny," he said, as Summer took her robe off and tossed it on the bed next to Seth. She unzipped the bag that the dress came in and took it out. Laying it on the bed, she walked into her closet to grab her shoes. She came back out and dropped them on the floor. Then, Seth pulled her into his lap and said, "I think you should just go like this."

"Yeah, because everyone knows going in your bra and underwear is the new fad." He was kissing her neck and she was finding it very hard to resist. "I have to get ready," she said, kissing him back.

"We can be late," he told her.

"You were just complaining about that," she reminded him, twisting her body and reaching behind her to grab his hand which was attempting to unhook her bra. "We have to go," she said, kissing him again. Three minutes later, she pulled away. "We have to go," she said again, before she kissed him. "Really, we have to go. You're going to mess up my hair." She pulled away and allowed herself one more kiss before she finally got out of his lap and into her dress.

She slipped into her heels and turned to face him. "Okay, let's go."

* * *

"Seth?" Kirsten popped her head into Seth's room. "Dinner's almost ready. You want to come down and help me set the table?"

"Alright, sure," Seth said, setting down the comic book he had been reading before his mother came in and getting off the bed.

"Oh, before I forget," Kirsten said, and she threw something to him. "Give this back to Summer for me. I had it washed."

"Hey, she's been looking for this," Seth said.

Kirsten started to walk away, waiting for her son to recognize what he had done.

Finally, realization dawned and Seth stared down at the object in his hands as a look of horror spread across his face. "What? I mean, this isn't yours?" he tried to cover quickly.

"Sweetie," Kirsten said, turning back around, "the last time I owned a purple bra, I was twenty-two."

"Way too much information," Seth said, holding up a hand to stop his mother and staring down at the lacy, lavender lingerie in his other hand.

"So," she said, coming into the room. "Something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"As a matter of fact, there is," Seth said. "Summer spilled grape juice on her shirt and it leaked through onto her, uh, bra, so she took it off and I lent her one of my shirts so that I could wash it but I wasn't in the room or anything when she took it off because, uh, that would be wrong since me and her are just friends—"

Seth stopped when he saw the very mom-ly look his mother was giving him. "Really?" she said. "Is that why I found it tangled in your sheets?"

Seth sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll tell you but I want you to know that I'm doing this against my will."

"Of course," she said, as she took a seat on his bed and he sat down beside her. "So, you two are…having sex?"

Seth groaned inwardly and nodded. "Obviously."

"Have been since you got back from Portland?" she asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head and not daring to look his mother in the eye.

"Then for how long?"

"Five months," he told her.

"Five months? Seth, sweetie, why would you do this to yourself?"

"Because, mom. It's the only way things are going to work. At least for right now."

"Seth," she said, placing a cautious hand on his back.

"Mom, I told you the truth. Nothing you say is going to change my mind about this. She's Summer." He shrugged. "So can we just drop it?"

"Can I ask you one more question?"

"I won't guarantee an answer," he said.

"Do you love her?"

He looked at his mom before looking back to his hands. He nodded.

"How do you know?"

He shrugged. "I just do."

This time, she nodded. "I understand."


	14. Cause It's All Or Nothing

A/N: So, after this, I'm thinking two more chapters? Yeah, two more chapters. This one might be kind of short. I'm working on another story right now too so after I finish this one I'll probably be right back with a new one.

Cause It's All Or Nothing

"Dude, you just beat me!" Seth yelled, throwing down his controller and staring at Ryan.

Ryan smiled at him. "Well, I think the time has come for the pupil to become the teacher. Now, the X button usually—"

"Very funny, man," Seth said, cutting him off. "Very funny."

Ryan got up and walked into the kitchen, rummaging through the refrigerator for something to drink. Seth followed him, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.

"So, my mom knows."

"Yeah? About you and Summer?" Ryan asked, turning around.

Seth nodded. "She found Summer's bra."

"Ouch." Ryan went to cupboard and brought some cereal, which he opened and started eating straight from the box.

"Yeah. She tried to have this whole talk with me about how bad it was and everything."

"At the risk of sounding like your parent," Ryan started, "she's kind of right."

"Not you too," Seth said, groaning and uncrossing his arms. "You've got to understand this at least a little."

"Hey, I understand it totally. I'm just saying, it's not healthy."

"Whatever," Seth said, shrugging. "This is how she wants it."

"But it's not all about what _she_ wants," Ryan tried to say.

"We're talking about Summer, here. Of course it's all about what she wants."

"Maybe you should talk to her. You know, about your relationship," Ryan suggested.

"I don't know. Maybe." Seth paused. "She's coming over in a while to get her…bra."

Seth looked up at Ryan and a small smile spread across his lips. Ryan couldn't help but smile back before throwing a piece of cereal at him. "Dude, you guys are sick."

The doorbell rang and Seth looked up. "Well, speak of the devil." He headed through the living room to the front door. "Summer," he said, opening the door. "And…Marissa."

"Don't sound too excited to see me," Marissa said as she and Summer pushed past him into the house.

"I just thought Summer was coming alone," he said.

"You mean, you just thought you were getting laid," Marissa said, looking at him pointedly.

"That's exactly what he means," Summer said. "Sorry, sweetie. I'm just here for the bra."

"Right. The bra. Right this way, Summer my sweet," he said sarcastically, leading her up the stairs. "Ryan's in the kitchen," he said, turning back to Marissa.

She nodded and headed in that direction. "Hey," she said, smiling when she saw him eating from the cereal box.

"Oh, hey," he said, looking up. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she said, shrugging. "Just here with Sum."

"Ah, yes, retrieving the bra?"

Marissa smiled and took a seat on a stool, setting her purse on the counter. "Exactly." She laughed to herself and then said, "They are so dysfunctional."

"I've tried to tell him many times, but all he says is 'Man, she's Summer' like it's supposed to explain something."

"I know what you mean," Marissa said, groaning. "I'm just waiting for their last big blowout to finally break them up for real."

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, not commenting on her lack of faith.

"And, then we move in to pick up the pieces."

Ryan nodded. He had a lot of experience with cleaning up Seth's messes. "Cereal?" Ryan asked, holding out the box to her.

She was about to decline when yelling was heard from the top of the stairs. "It is _not_ all about me!" Summer was screaming as she came down the steps with Seth following closely behind.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Summer! We both know that we're doing this because it's what _you_ want!"

"Battle stations?" Marissa asked.

"I think so," Ryan said, before the two walked into the kitchen.

"I'm not having this conversation, Seth," Summer said. "Coop, we're leaving. _Now_," she added as she turned back and glared at Seth.

Marissa got up quickly, not wanting to anger Summer any further. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Ryan," she said and he nodded.

"Yeah," he said.

"Summer, wait," Seth was saying as Summer went to the front door.

"No," she said as she opened the front door. Marissa slipped past her and out to car. "I _might_ call you later," she said before slamming the door.

"Damn it!" Ryan heard Seth yell from the living room.

"No make-up sex?" Ryan asked, leaning against the kitchen doorframe and facing Seth.

"Shut up," he said, walking up the stairs to his bedroom.

* * *

If there were one thing Ryan would never understand in this world, it would be the relationship of Seth and Summer. Last thing he knew, they were screaming at the top of their lungs and she was slamming doors in his face. Later, he gets a phone call, leaves for an hour, and comes back. With Summer. A laughing, smiling Summer. And now, they're sitting in the living room and he's trying to teach her to play Playstation. Again. 

He wondered if there would ever come a day when he would understand them. Then, he hoped that someone would slap him if that day ever did come because if he was ever crazy enough to understand those two, then…damn.

He thought maybe Seth had some kind of antidote for Summer. Like, in the second X-Men movie—which Seth had insisted he watch even though he didn't think it was that good—when Stryker would inject that stuff into the back of mutants necks to control them. Maybe he had some kind of drug that he injected into the back of her neck and that's why she always forgave him so easily.

Then he _really_ hoped someone would slap him because the thoughts he was having were certainly crazy. And that could only come from hanging around crazy people. He really had to get out of this house.

But then he decided against that because if he left, he knew what Seth and Summer would do and, well, if Kirsten wasn't going to put a stop to it, Ryan was at least going to try. Talking to Seth was impossible. Seth was an excellent talker but not always so good with the listening. And, even if he did listen, he wouldn't take Ryan's advice. Because _"She's Summer". _Ryan was getting seriously sick of that excuse.

The relationship wasn't healthy for either of them. That much was obvious. They were both completely in love with each other so; first off, Ryan didn't see the point in hiding it. But, on the other hand, he saw what Summer was doing. Summer had a lot of trust issues. Ryan had a lot of trust issues too and it was probably the one thing he had in common with her. Seth had hurt her once already. And, if she had gotten over that, she knew they were going to different colleges at the end of this summer. Different colleges on opposite sides of the _country_. She didn't want to be left alone by him _all over again_. She thought that this relationship was somehow less meaningful than their last and so it would hurt less when they departed for their respective schools when the summer finally came to a close.

But this was where Ryan got kind of lost. Because, the relationship was exactly like their last except they were hiding it from the rest of the world. They were ignoring all of the things that they should be working out and pretending like nothing mattered except for _right now. _They were both going to end up with broken hearts if they didn't shape up and get things together. And then, Ryan would be left to deal with the aftermath.

* * *

She wanted to be with Seth. It was never a question of whether or not she loved him. But she was scared. She was scared that she loved him too much. She knew why they had been fighting so much. She started the fights. He was leaving her at the end of the summer and she wasn't going to get back together with him just in time for them to have some big teary airport scene. She wasn't going to try and do the long-distance relationship thing. That's why this arrangement was better. She wasn't going to let herself get close to him. 

In fact, she wasn't going to let herself get close to him at all. She knew she was already in over her head with everything they were doing now. That's why they needed to just stop everything. Although she hadn't originally planned on doing this now, she figured it was as good a time as any.

They were sitting on her couch, watching TV about three days after the fight at his house. She was thankful her father wasn't home right now because she knew a hell of a screaming match was about to ensue. She glanced at Seth and saw he was looking at her. He smiled and kissed her and she felt her stomach drop.

She pushed him off and he looked confused. "Okay, what is up with you today?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said, shrugging it off. "I just don't feel like it."

"I kissed you," he said. "I wasn't asking you to have sex with me."

She shrugged again.

"Seriously," he went on. "You've been all weird lately."

"Gee, thanks. Just what I want to hear."

"You know what I mean," he said.

She turned her head to look at him. "We need to talk."

"Talk? Like, what kind of talk?" he asked. "Just talk or _bad_ talk?"

"Cohen," she said, and she tried to force some remnants of a smile onto her face but it quickly faded anyway.

"Okay, _bad_ talk," he said, more to himself than to her. He leaned back on the couch and she stood up.

"Seth, this isn't working anymore," she started.

She expected him to interrupt her at this point but he stayed quiet.

"We'll be leaving each other at the end of the summer and the whole long distance thing is stupid to even consider. It would be dumb to even think about a relationship now."

Seth leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Thanks for finally letting me know how you feel," he said sarcastically.

"Come on, Seth."

"I don't get you," he said. "I don't understand why you have to plan everything like this. When did we start thinking this far into the future?"

"Seth, we can't not think about the future!" she told him.

"Why? Why can't we just focus on right now?" he asked.

"Well, I don't want to be with you right now!" she yelled and immediately felt horrible. It was a lie. She did want to be with him. She just didn't think she could handle it.

He looked up at her and his eyes were big, almost shocked at what she had just said.

"I don't mean it like that," she said, quietly, trying to redeem herself. "I just don't think it would be…smart for us to get all…attached."

"You don't think we're attached?" he asked, sounding almost surprised that she would even suggest that.

"Seth—"

"Summer, I know you better than anyone," he said.

"Exactly!" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "That's why you should understand. _This_ makes more sense."

"I don't understand, though," he said, standing up and looking at her. "Explain it to me, Summer! Tell me why _this_ makes more sense!" he yelled. "Tell me why _anything_ makes more sense than me and you."

Summer stared down at the floor. She held her elbow and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She couldn't look at him. Not after that. Instead, "Just go," was all she said.

He stood up. "So this is it, huh? This is how it's going to be? All or nothing?"

"Please," she whispered.

She could sense him moving and she thought, with any luck, he was leaving. But a shadow was cast over her and she knew he was standing in front her. He picked up her hands and held them to his chest. He looked at her and the tears in his eyes matched hers.

"I love you," he said. She nodded and he kissed her forehead. And then he left.


	15. Awkward Hugs and Awkward Car Rides

A/N: So I was ready to update and then I got grounded from the computer (bitches) so I wasn't able to. Then, I was ungrounded and I went to post this but the server was overload (bitches). But, it is here now with an incredibly long author's note. (They're my staple, what can I say?) Anyway, I'm really starting to despise this story. I think that happens when you have a story going for too long. Or, maybe that's just me. This is the second-to-last chapter and I'm **not **planning on a doing a sequel. Sorry, guys. I can't focus on one idea like this for so long. But, fear not, as I said before, I have another story that I'm working on. Plus, I'm listening to Oasis right now so this chapter should be good. Just to answer a few quick questions: Marissa and Ryan are not dating; they are friends. Marissa is still dating Alex because I loved Olivia when she was on the show and I think Josh needs to bring her back. (Seriously, Alex was really hot. And, like, the most exciting character out of the four new kids this year.) It's just that I don't need her to advance the plot or anything anymore so…yeah. And last but not least, Lindsay did leave. She was fine for a while but then she was just crying all the time and she really got on my nerves and I didn't feel like writing her character anymore. Forgive me for not formally writing her out. Sorry, but just another quick little thing so you guys aren't confused when it comes to the timeline of this chap: the first part between Summer and Marissa is the very next day. The second part between Ryan and Seth is three weeks later. Now read and review!

Awkward Hugs and Awkward Car Rides 

"Hey," Marissa said sympathetically when Summer opened the door. She had to look twice because the girl standing at the door did not look like her best friend. She was in sweatpants and a tank top and her hair was pulled into what could only be described as a knot at the base of her neck. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were rimmed with red.

"Hey, Coop," she said, stepping aside to let Marissa come in and feebly trying to hide her appearance.

Marissa dropped her purse on the side table as Summer shut the door. She looked at Summer and she couldn't think of anything to do other than to hug her. So she pulled her close and wrapped her arms around her small body. She was grateful when she felt Summer's arms reach around her middle and hug her tightly. Marissa held Summer's head and whispered, "We're going to be alright." She felt Summer swallow and knew she was trying not to cry.

The girls finally let go and Marissa steered Summer to the couch. She ordered her to sit and went into the kitchen to get some icecream. She returned with two bowls of Cherry Garcia and set one on the table in front of Summer.

"Thanks," Summer said weakly.

"What do you want to watch?" Marissa asked, setting down her own icecream and walking over to the rack of DVDs.

Summer shrugged. "I don't care."

Marissa grabbed a movie that, she hoped, wouldn't remind her of Seth in any way. She turned to Summer who shook her head. Marissa turned back to the rack and picked another one. Again, Summer shook her head. This went on for about three more movies before Marissa finally got fed up and threw her hands up saying, "Pick one!"

"That one," Summer said, pointing.

Marissa ran her hand down the rack until Summer nodded. "Are you sure, Sum?" she asked, staring down at the DVD Summer had chosen. _The Notebook. _

"We were going to watch it together," she said quietly.

"That's kind of what I mean, Summer," Marissa said. "It's a great movie and all but why don't we watch something funny like…American Pie or something?"

"Just put it in," Summer told her and Marissa obeyed. Then, she settled onto the couch next to Summer to watch the movie.

They were about a half an hour into the movie when Marissa glanced at Summer and saw she wasn't even watching the movie. She was staring blankly at the screen, not to mention the fact that she hadn't even touched her icecream. It was just sitting in a big melted puddle in the bowl.

"You didn't eat your icecream," she commented warily.

"There were too many cherries," she told her without taking her eyes from the screen.

Marissa knew right off the bat that this was a lie. The cherries were one of Summer's favorite parts. Instead of calling her on it though, she just said, "Oh."

After a few moments, Marissa reached out and, putting her hand on Summer's, she gave it a little squeeze. She knew it was a small, stupid thing to do but she couldn't stand seeing Summer like this.

Summer surprised her though, when she turned and looked at her. There were tears filling her lids and Marissa wondered whether they were going to fall or not. "Coop." She said it so quietly that Marissa almost couldn't hear it. But that was as far as she got before she crumpled into a heap of sobs.

Her tears were soaking through Marissa's t-shirt and wetting her shoulder but it didn't matter. She clung to Marissa like she was the only thing keeping her afloat and Marissa knew that, in a way, she knew she was.

Seeing Summer like this had kind of thrown Marissa for a loop. It used to be that Summer was the strong one, the one who held them together. And now, she was falling apart and Marissa had to try and put it all back together.

"It'll be okay," she said as they rocked gently. "I promise."

Summer nodded a little.

Marissa felt the familiar sensation of tears prick her own eyes but she held back.

After what seemed like an eternity, Summer pulled away. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"It was pretty serious, huh?" Marissa asked gently.

Summer looked at a spot behind Marissa's head for a while before finally looking into her eyes. "I think…I might have loved him."

"I think you might be right."

* * *

Seth slipped quietly into the pool house.

"Hey," Ryan said, coming out of the bathroom.

"Hey," Seth said, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

"How you holding up?" Ryan asked.

"I'm alright," Seth told him. He shrugged. "As good as can be expected."

Ryan sighed. "I know she was, like, the center of your universe for a really long time but you've gotta get over her. It's been three weeks, man."

Seth shrugged again. "I just…miss her, I guess."

Ryan nodded sympathetically.

"Okay, that sounded totally gay," Seth said. "I officially give you permission to hit me."

Ryan started toward him and Seth winced.

"I was kidding!" he said, before Ryan really could hit him.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the party anyway?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, I'll do that eventually," Seth answered. "But, we haven't had any ritual talks before big events in a while and I thought we could use one."

"You mean, you thought _you_ could use one," Ryan corrected, taking a seat on the bed.

"It's not like you talk anyway," Seth pointed out.

Ryan gave him a look.

"My point exactly," Seth said.

"Anyway," Ryan said. "What is it that's eating away at you so much you just _had_ to talk about it? Other than Summer."

"Can it be partially about Summer?" he asked.

Ryan seemed to be contemplating. Then, he nodded his head once and said, "Allowed."

"She missed a few days of school last week," Seth started. "I think something's up."

"Like what?" Ryan asked. "You think you got her pregnant or something and now she's avoiding you?"

Seth glared at him.

Ryan shrugged.

"I think it's her dad," Seth said.

"I thought he was doing good."

"He was," Seth said. "But, there's always that chance that it can come back."

"You're not going to know unless you ask her," Ryan said.

"I don't think she wants to talk to me right now. Or ever, for that matter." Seth stood. "I should probably get ready anyway," he said.

"Me too," Ryan stood up and started to head for the bathroom as Seth walked towards the door. "You should double-check though," Ryan added. "Make sure she's not pregnant."

"Gotcha'," Seth said as he shut the door behind him.

* * *

It didn't matter how long Seth lived in Newport. He would never become fond of the Charity League dinners or the Children's Benefit galas. It just wasn't going to happen. So, after having mingled appropriately with the guests, he was sitting at a table, debating leaving for his bedroom.

In, the living room, he could see his mother talking to a Newpsie with short blonde hair and obvious breast implants.

"Kirsten, excellent party."

"Oh, thank you," she said.

"How's your family?" the Newpsie asked politely.

"They're good," Kirsten answered.

"Your son, Seth," she started, "is he still dating the Roberts girl?"

Kirsten hadn't realized that the relationship between her son and Summer, before Portland, had been such widespread news. "Um, actually, they broke up," she informed the woman, whose name she didn't even know.

"Aw, that's too bad," the woman said. "She's a pretty girl."

Kirsten didn't understand the relevance of Summer's beauty but she agreed wholeheartedly. "Yeah, she is," she said. "They broke up a while ago though, so it's not anything new." To the outside world, they hadn't been a couple since last year.

"Well, it's good that they're still friends," she said, and Kirsten looked confused before she followed the woman's gaze to wear Summer was now taking a seat at the table Seth was at.

"Yeah," Kirsten said, wondering if she should just usher them inside right now. she knew what had happened between them recently and knew thatthis could only result in a screaming match.

"Hey," Summer said hesitantly, sitting down.

Seth looked up but didn't say anything.

"You're not talking to me," she said. "That's understandable."

"Hi," he said, as if to prove her differently.

She let out a breath. "Well, that's a relief," she told him. "I'd feel really terrible being the only person who could make you shut up."

He smiled a little. "You were always the only person who could make me shut up."

"I always thought your mouth was better-suited for other things," she said casually.

He grinned and looked away. "You haven't been in school lately," he said after a while.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at the tablecloth. "My dad…"

"Oh," Seth said. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "Not like we haven't been through it before."

"You're good otherwise?" he asked.

She nodded.

Then, out of the blue, "Listen, are you pregnant?"

"What?" Summer was taken aback. "No, I'm not pregnant."

"That's good," Seth said, nodding his head. "That's really...good."

Summer had no idea where that came from but it was very Seth-like so she ignored it.

"I heard you're dating Mark McKinley," he said, running a hand through his hair and attempting to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Summer heard it though. "We're just seeing each other," she tried to reassure him. "It doesn't mean anything."

Seth nodded, looking the other way. "Right."

"Why are you getting mad at me?" she asked, sliding her hand across the table and touching his.

"I'm not mad," he said, pulling his hand away.

"Don't lie to me," she said.

"I just…can't believe you got over me so quickly," he said, keeping his voice low.

Summer, though, seemed to have no intention of keeping this a quiet discussion because her voice was rising with her words. "I cannot believe you just said that. You think none of it mattered?"

"Look, Summer," Seth said, trying to calm her. "We already had our fight. We're done, okay? Finished, for good."

"Exactly," she said. "So I can't understand why we're still talking about it."

"I didn't mean to bring it up, alright? I didn't want to talk about it. It just…came out." He shrugged. "It's hard for me to see you with someone else."

"And it would be hard for me to see you with someone else too," she said. "But this is what we chose."

"No," Seth said, disagreeing. "This is what _you_ chose. This is what you wanted."

"Don't put this on me," she said. "You walked out!"

"Yeah, because you told me to leave!"

"This is how it has to be!"

"No it's not," Seth tried to tell her. "We could have made it work! But you didn't even want to try!"

"Stop making this my fault!" Summer yelled. A few of the party guests near their table had turned to look at them, but neither noticed.

"It is your fault!" he said. He sighedand his voice becamequiet, even."For once, Summer, this is your fault."

At this, Summer stood and stormed into the house. She disappeared in the crowd and Seth rested his head on the table, letting out a groan. He stayed like that for a while.

"You made quite a scene there."

Seth felt a hand on his back and, judging by the size and shape, he knew it to be his mother's.

"I'm sorry," he said, picking up his head.

"I knew it was coming," she said. "It's my fault for not stopping it."

Seth shook his head.

"She didn't leave, you know," Kirsten said. "Sandy saw her go upstairs."

Seth nodded. "Thanks."

Seth gave her a good half an hour to cool off before he went looking for her. He headed upstairs and to his room, assuming that would be the place she would go. He opened his door to see her sprawled out on his blue carpet. The littlest tears were running down the sides of her face, along her temple and disappearing in her hair but he pretended like he didn't see them.

She sat up, wiping them away, glad he didn't say anything. "Hey," she said.

"This conversation is getting old," he told her, sitting down on his bed.

She nodded. "Coop left. I need a ride," she said quietly.

"Come on."

She followed him downstairs and out to the Range Rover where they got in and buckled up. They were quiet for a while before Seth spoke. "What were you doing on my floor?" he asked, not unkindly.

Summer didn't answer for a while. "I was thinking," she said, finally. "About stuff." After a beat, "Mostly us."

Seth nodded.

After that they didn't talk. They drove the rest of the way home in silence. Both of them knew that there was a lot of stuff that needed to be said and this would probably be an ideal opportunity but they also knew that they didn't want to say those things. They just wanted to let everything go because that was the easiest thing to do.

Seth pulled into Summer's drive and put the car in park. "So, I'll see you around?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you."

She got out of the car and Seth added, "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

She smiled at him, a genuine smile, and said, "Thanks." With that, she shut the door and walked into her house.

"I love you," Seth said, so quietly that even he had trouble hearing it.


	16. I Love You, Too

A/N: Basically, my computer fucking sucks and that's why this took so long. I've had it written for weeks and I read over it a million times except I didn't just now because I'm afraid of my computer. Anyway, last chapter. I feel like a _terrible_ person for updating so slow. I'm really, really sorry. YellyBelly, I'm sorry for torturing you! It was never my intention. Thanks for always reviewing and I hope you're satisfied with the ending. I want to thank everyone else too that stuck with me (even through the first few chapters where I was trying to find my footing). I feel like I've actually accomplished something now. I'll probably be deleting this story in a few months anyway because it'll start to get on my nerves. Don't worry, I'll let you guys know before I do and e-mail it to you if you really care. Doubt it. Keep an eye open for my next story, something along the lines of **In Every Sunflower** (title from a Bell X1 song). No sequel. Sorry, but no.

I Love You, Too 

"Mom, you can eat cereal at anytime."

"Seth, it's a _breakfast_ food," his mother was telling him. "And there's perfectly good leftovers in the fridge."

"Thanks, but I think I'll stick with my Fruit Loops," Seth said as Ryan entered the kitchen.

He was about to comment on what Seth and Kirsten were discussing when the phone rang. "Got it," he said instead, clicking the TALK button. "Hello?" he said, putting the phone to his ear. A look of concern and confusion came over his face as he listened to what was being said. "Calm down, Summer. I can't understand you. …He's right here. Okay?"

Seth immediately looked up at the mention of her name. Ryan handed him the phone.

"What is it?" Seth asked.

"It's Summer," Ryan said, even though Seth already knew. "Something happened. She was crying really hard."

It had been almost two weeks since the party; almost two weeks since they had last spoken. "Oh, man," Seth said, having a feeling that he already knew what it was. He quickly pressed the phone to his ear. "Summer? What is it? Are you okay?" he asked, automatically assuming the worst.

"Cohen," she said. Her voice was almost inaudible and it was laced with tears though she had stopped sobbing by now. She said nothing to answer his questions; instead, "Can you…can you… I need you."

"I'll be right there," he told her and they hung up. "This is bad. I've got to go," he said to his mom. "I'm not sure when I'll be back."

Kirsten glanced at the clock and, even though it was already almost ten thirty, she let him go anyway. Something was obviously very wrong. "Okay," she said. "Call if you need anything." Seth grabbed the keys to the Range Rover and started for the door. His mother put a hand on his forearm though, and halted him. "Don't do anything stupid," she said quietly. He nodded.

He practically sped the entire way to Summer's. He arrived at her house in record time and rang the doorbell, fidgeting nervously as he waited.

Finally, Summer answered the door in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Her hair was a mess and her nose was running but he didn't care. "Hi," she said, but her voice was quiet and strained.

"Come here," he said, opening his arms to her. She stepped forward, burying her face in his chest and he knew she probably just wiped everything from her nose onto his shirt but it didn't matter because she was here, and she was hugging him.

Seth didn't know how long they stood there. It could have been a few minutes or maybe a few hours. She cried and he kissed the top of her head, whispering, "I'm here now, baby."

They pulled apart when Summer's stepmother hesitantly approached the still-opened door. "Sum, is that you?" she called out quietly. Her voice was thick and Seth could tell she had been crying.

"Yeah, it's me," Summer answered, wiping feebly at her eyes. "Seth's here."

"Oh, hi, Seth," Dianna greeted him as they stepped inside. "I didn't know you would be here; I would have, you know," she said motioning to her face. Her eyes were full of tears and she was clutching a tissue in one hand. At that moment, Seth realized that maybe, deep down, the step-monster really did have a heart.

"It's fine," Seth told her. "I'm really sorry," he added.

"We knew it was coming," Dianna said quietly. "He was very sick."

Seth could remember the day exactly when Summer's father had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a little over a year ago, back when they had still been dating. He remembered the phone call, not much different than the one he had just received not fifteen minutes ago, except that time it was Marissa. He was sitting in his bedroom when his cell phone rang and, seeing Summer's home number, he picked it up immediately.

"Seth, it's Marissa," she said, and her voice sounded slightly panicked.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, worried at her tone.

"It's Summer," she had said. "Her dad was… He's got…" She sighed and gave up trying to explain over the phone. "Can you just get here? She really needs you."

"Yeah, I'm there," he said, hanging up and speeding over to her house almost as fast as he did today.

When he entered her room, the first thing he saw was the mess. The normally clean room was now littered with the things that used to sit on the vanity, desktop, and shelves. He knew it was big. Marissa was sitting with Summer on the bed and Summer's face was buried in Marissa's shoulder. She was so still but he knew her well enough to know that she was crying. Marissa was kissing her head and rubbing her back, whispering to her. She looked up when Seth entered. "A little help?" she asked quietly.

Seth went to them and, kneeling in front of the bed, gently touched Summer's arm. She turned and looked at him, her make-up smeared and her eyes watery, and she said very softly, "My dad has cancer."

"Oh, Summer." With that she slid gently off the bed and into his arms, hiding herself in him. Seth kissed the top of her head and looked up at Marissa who looked a little teary herself.

After a while, Summer excused herself to go to the bathroom. "This is so hard," Marissa said to Seth after she left. "I don't know what to do, you know? This has never happened to me. I can't even imagine what she's going through."

"I know," Seth said, nodding.

"I figured you might be able to relate," Marissa said. "I know your nana has cancer."

Seth nodded.

He and Marissa had stayed with Summer all night that night. She didn't cry again after she left for the bathroom and they stayed up all night just talking. Seth would swear that the three of them talked about everything that night.

"Cohen?" Summer's voice brought him out of his memory.

"Yeah?"

"I want to go upstairs," she said.

He nodded, willing to comply with anything she said at that moment.

He watched as Summer walked over to her step mother and hugged her. They talked together quietly; Seth couldn't hear what was said. But then they pulled apart and Dianna kissed Summer on the forehead before leaving down a hallway. Summer turned to Seth and taking his hand, she led him upstairs.

Her bedroom was clean this time, everything in its proper place. She sat on her bed and Seth hesitated, walking to the other side of her room instead. He stopped at her vanity and looked at the assortment of prescription pill bottles cluttering the top. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Summer.

"I can't afford to lose Dianna too," she explained quietly.

Seth nodded in understanding.

"Will you come…sit with me?" she asked tentatively.

Seth went to the bed and sitting down, he took one of her hands in his, lacing their fingers together. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he kissed it gently. He tried to think of something to say, something comforting, anything to try and make her feel better, but he kept coming up short.

He was saved though, when she spoke, "I just can't believe it, you know?" she said. "I can't believe that he's really gone."

"I know," Seth said. "It's a hard concept to wrap your head around."

He felt her nod against his shoulder.

"I wish I could say something," he said, glancing down at her, "that would make it okay but I just, I can't even imagine what you're going through."

"It's okay," she said, stopping him from continuing. She lifted her head up and her face was right next to his. She put a finger to his lips and said, "You don't have to say anything."

Then, removing her finger she closed the space between them and kissed him. He could feel the tears on her cheeks and he moved his hands to her waist, as she gently rolled them over so he was covering her.

They kissed for a long time before Seth pulled away. "Summer," he said. "We can't do this."

"What?" she said, sounding almost panicked. "Don't you want me?"

"Of course," he said immediately. "Summer, I'll always want you. But right now, with everything that's happened, I don't think you're…in the emotional state to make this decision."

"I already made the decision," she told him. "I want to."

"Sum," he said, almost groaning. "I don't—"

"Seth," she said, cutting him off. Then, very quietly, almost pleadingly, "Please. Do this for me."

Even in the dim light he could see it in her eyes. She was begging him to take care of her, just like he always had; like he promised he always would. He couldn't say no to her.

He nodded. "Okay." And even though she was crying and his hands were shaking, he undressed her in the quiet darkness of her bedroom and took her pain away the only way he knew how.

-----------------------------------------------------

Seth woke up the next morning and, rubbing his eyes, looked around. The bed was empty. "Summer?" he called.

"I'm right here," she said.

He was startled by the closeness of her voice and, when he turned his head, saw that she was seated at her vanity. "What are you doing?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Thinking, I guess," she said, as she got off the stool and, slipping her fingers under the lining of her underwear to get rid of a wedgie, slid into the bed next to him. She laid her head on his chest and, very quietly, said, "Thank you."

Seth didn't say anything for a while. He heard his mother's voice in his head. _"Don't do anything stupid."_ Finally, he started softly, "I know this is really hard for you. And I hate to make it any worse, but I can't do this."

She lifted her head from his chest and sat up, holding the sheet to cover her bare chest. "Wha-what are you saying?"

"I love you, Summer." He sat up, looking at her and sighed. "God, I love you." He repeated that last part almost to himself, dropping his head into his hands.

"I love you too, Seth."

Seth looked up at her, making eye contact. And then, something changed. It was a small change, but in their world, it was huge. "Don't do this to me, Sum," he said.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I love you. Okay?"

"I can't _not_ be with you," he said slowly. "I can't do this again."

She ignored the fact that he wasn't making much sense and kissed him again. He pulled back after a second but she spoke before he could. "I want to do it for real," she said.

"What?" he asked, hoping desperately he had heard her right.

"Me and you. I want to be with you, Seth. For real."

"For real?" he asked, surprised he could find his voice.

She nodded. "I want to be your girlfriend again."

Seth couldn't find words to explain his feelings so instead, he just took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Twenty-five minutes and fifty kisses later, they were dressed and heading downstairs. Summer had cried a little more and Seth had offered breakfast at his house. They found Dianna in the kitchen, a cup of coffee on the counter in front of her. "Morning," she greeted, choosing not to comment on the fact that Seth had most obviously spent the night.

"Morning," Summer said, walking over and kissing her cheek. Seth marveled at the change in this relationship. "Seth invited me over for breakfast but I think I'm just going to stay here."

"Why?" Dianna asked.

"I don't want to leave you alone," Summer said, almost shyly.

"Don't worry about me," Dianna said.

Summer raised her eyebrows at her, a look that clearly conveyed her doubt.

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "It's okay, sweetie. Go," she said in a tone that would have rivaled Kirsten's motherly one as she gave her a push towards the door.

Summer hesitated a second later before saying, "Okay. I'll be back later."

Dianna smiled as the two started for the door. "Oh, Summer," she said, calling her back. "Hang on a second." She disappeared around a corner for a second before returning, three pill bottles in her hands. Handing them to Summer, she said, "Drop these in the trash for me on the way out, would you?"

Summer smiled a little and hoped that these were the last. Somehow, she knew they were. She wrapped her arms around Dianna in a tight hug. "I'll see you later," she said.

"Bye, sweetheart."

Seth followed Summer out to his car and they got in, having deposited the pill bottles in the trash. "So, you and the step-monster," he commented.

Summer shoved him gently. "Shut up," she said. Then, quieter, "She's all I have left, you know? Except for you."

Seth smiled. The drive to his house was silent, but Seth didn't mind. As they were walking to the front door, Summer slipped her tiny hand into Seth's, looking up at him to smile for just a second before she glanced away.

They entered the kitchen where everyone was already up. "Oh, sweetheart," Kirsten said as soon as she saw Summer. She pulled her into a hug and said some comforting, maternal things and when they pulled apart, Summer was wiping her eyes again.

"I'll be alright," she said quietly.

"Yeah, she will," Seth said, kissing her temple gently as he passed by on his way to the cupboard. Kirsten tried to catch his eye in question but he didn't notice.

"Well, you know you always have a home here," Sandy said from near the coffee pot. Kirsten nodded in agreement and squeezed her arm gently.

"Thanks." She smiled. She saw the way Kirsten looked at Seth before and added, "It's a good thing too, because I'm going to be spending a lot of time here now, what with me dating your son and all."

Kirsten smiled and Sandy said, "You and Ryan decided to give it a go?"

Summer laughed.

"Very funny, Dad," Seth said, handing Summer a mug of coffee and kissing her.

They went to sit at the kitchen table as Ryan came in from the pool house. "Hey, your sister-in-law's here!" Sandy said eagerly.

Ryan gave him a confused look but said nothing more. "Hey, Summer," he said, touching her shoulder. "How are you doing?"

"Good," she smiled as Seth found her hand under the table. "Good."

* * *

3 Months Later…

"I'm going to miss you," she said.

"I'm going to miss you too."

They were standing in the airport terminal, foreheads pressed together, his arms around her shoulders, hers around his waist. He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her lips. Sandy, Kirsten, Ryan, and Marissa waited patiently, having already said their goodbyes.

"Hey, hey, hey," Seth said. "We agreed there were going to be no tears."

"I know," she said, sniffling, as he gently wiped her eyes for her. "I'm sorry."

He kissed her again, longer this time. "I'll be back at Thanksgiving."

"And Christmas," she added.

"And Easter," he continued.

"And you're transferring next year?"

"Summer," he said, "We've been over this a million times. I'm transferring next year." He kissed her again.

They had already tried to convince his parents that he didn't really need to go to college yet. That he should withdraw from NYU and just wait a year so that he could stay with Summer and apply next year at UCLA. Sandy and Kirsten had quickly nixed this idea, saying that he would go to NYU the first year and transfer after that.

"You'll call me as soon as you get there?" she asked.

"As soon as I step off the plane," he assured.

"And you'll tell me the name and age, along with a complete description, of every girl you meet while you're there?"

"Every single one," he said, smiling. "As will you." He paused, "I mean, with guys, obviously."

She smiled, burying her face in his chest then, breathing deep, memorizing his smell. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you," she said, looking up at him.

"I love you, too," he responded. His flight was called then and he said, "I've gotta go.""Already?" she asked. He nodded. Her eyes were so sad he could almost feel them pulling him to her.

He kissed her again. "I'll call every day."

She nodded. He kissed her one last time before wiping the last few tears that were making their way down her cheeks. "Bye," she whispered.

"I love you," he said again.

She nodded. "I love you, too."

A/N: The ending wasn't supposed to be super sad or dramatic but I think it might have been just a tad. Oh, well. I hope you guys liked. I felt bad for the step-monster, always having such a bad rep. I made her nice. Now, leave me some wonderful reviews for finally getting this out there.


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